BOOK 4: PREPARATION / CH. 5:PUBLIC AWARENESS.
9.00AM, FRIDAY, 24TH NOVEMBER, IHM
“Hi Kate... I think I've been a silly girl.”
“Oh? Well founded gossip says you and the prince spent a long time holding hands yesterday, but decided not to meet. Sounds quite sensible to me. Not a very easy decision, I imagine, but realistic. Have you been having second thoughts?”
“The problem is, that little bit of rumour is only half true.”
“Ah?”
“The public version was actually 'We have no plans to meet.'”
“Hmm. Close, but I hear more wriggle room.”
“The private version adds 'But we will do a lot of talking.' Last night the prince admitted that he hadn't been very discrete.” Handing over a data crystal with the press report on it she said “I offer you exhibit one.”
Kate read it and whistled.
“So...” Kate started “I think it's quite obvious he's smitten. What about you?”
“Last night? I was full of joy and happy glowing feelings. This morning... Reality has bitten back a little.”
“So... describe reality.”
“Well, that little stunt at the debate. If we're supposed to not be going out, in order to avoid things like Bella's matchmaking and unwelcome press attention, and damaging my status as a witness, then why is he broadcasting the fact that he's in love to all and sundry?”
“Damaging you as a witness? How?”
“I imagine Evil Ibrahim's lawyers would really love declaring that I was at his house as a guest because I'd been after his client and I'm only testifying because he rejected me. And then, having failed with him I've now got the prince — I'm obviously just after a celebrity husband, or some such muck-raking.”
“Ouch. Yes. He might say that sort of thing anyway of course, but you taking up with the prince might damage your credibility if he does say something like that. Did you tell the prince this?”
“Well, not in that much detail.”
“So apart from feeding your fears, what's he done?”
“Broadcast something that we'd agreed would be a secret, I guess.”
“And what does that do?”
“Adds to my conviction that he's not as mature as I might have hoped for his age.”
“Just based on that?”
“No, based on what he admitted to me quite early on yesterday: that he's not been paying much attention in civics. No, that's not fair. Rather, doesn't want to give up his freedom.”
“And how did you feel about that?”
“I wasn't impressed.”
“But you started falling for him anyway?”
“Yes. He's handsome, intelligent, funny, likes my jokes, Christian, single, interested and charming. Plus he has the power.”
“And what does he see in you?”
“He claims I'm beautiful, intelligent, wise, plus I'm Christian and of course I wowed him with the gift.”
“Deliberately?” Kate asked, concerned.
“No. I ended up checking the King's thoughts to compare with Bella's memory of her dream. I found something the King needed to hear.”
“And told the prince?” Kate asked, surprised.
“No. I didn't, not at all. I asked the king for a private interview. He chose that the queen should hear too, which worked out well, I think.”
“Well handled.”
“Maybe. I think I could have handled part of it better. But the queen was very impressed with me, I don't know why. Maybe it was something I said about Dad.”
“What was that?”
“That he'd worked to bring down the monarchy, and I'd do whatever I could to strengthen it.”
“Were you quoting deliberately?”
“Pardon?”
“Didn't think so. Sometime, see if you can look up interviews she gave before their marriage. There's something similar in one of them.”
“I didn't quote her did I?”
“It's been a long time, I can't remember quite what she said, but it was roughly along the lines of her having taken an oath to support the crown a long time ago, but she hadn't expected it to be quite this literally. I take it that what you told the King wasn't pleasant for him?”
“No. But he needed to hear it.”
“So, you're prepared to upset the king for the good of the country?”
“Yes, wouldn't you be?”
“I'm not sure. Probably. But I'm older than you are. Eliza, it's simple, really. You are a lot more mature than the prince, even though he's older than you. But you're a lot more mature than practically anyone your age. You can blame it on your history if you like.”
“Whereas he's led a very sheltered life.”
“In some aspects, certainly. So the question you might want to think about is even if he's a bit immature now, how important is that to you?”
“I thought you'd warned me not to develop any hasty relationships?”
“I did. I don't think you're really being very hasty. But you've appointed yourself as guardian of the monarchy. Can you think of a better way of doing that than helping the crown prince grow to be a bit more responsible?”
“Did you read my thoughts?”
“Eliza, what a thing to ask!”
“Well?”
“The other important question, Eliza, is if you think that you'd entrust him to anyone else.”
“Honestly, Kate... I'm pretty sure that I don't want to lose him.”
“So have you made a mistake?”
“I hope not.”
“Good answer.”
“The other thing that worries me, Kate.”
“Yes?”
“It was on the way there, I got really upset about not having anyone. Very off-balance. You know.”
“Hmm. Sarah did tell me.”
“And then I prayed. And Karen gave me the most wonderfully comprehensive blessing, and I thought I'd left it all with God. Then not two hours later I was catching myself a prince. It doesn't sound like I'd really left it with God.”
“But had you?”
“Yes, I think so. I certainly know I was really upset with Bella for saying, roughly speaking, 'look prince, you've met two single girls in the last decade who can hear thoughts, but the smart money's on Eliza because she's a Christian and I'm not interested in a change of job. So seize the moment or wait another decade.'”
“She said that?”
“Pretty much.”
“And if she hadn't?”
“Well, the prince had been saying he'd like to stay in touch.”
“But?”
“Certainly no romance as far as I was concerned.”
“So you had left it with God.”
“I guess so,” Eliza answered, relieved.
“And maybe God prompted Bella to play matchmaker?”
“It's possible, isn't it?”
“So, what comes next?”
“I guess I forgive Bella.”
“Oh, you need to do that. When are you talking to him next?”
“After I've finished my essay. Or this evening. Or... when I just want to hear his voice, whichever comes first. Maybe lunchtime?”
“Eliza, I think you're in love.”
“Me too. Oh, by the way, after yesterday, there's going to be a press conference at about lunchtime today. You might want the computer to be suspicious. They're going public about Valentines day, and I expect they'll mention the Institute.”
“In what context?”
“I'm not saying, because I'm not sure.”
“You're not making much sense, Eliza.”
“I'm in love, do I have to make sense?”
“Oh get out of here and stop wasting my time! You're sane,” Kate said, in frustration.
“That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me,” Eliza replied. “Well, almost,” she corrected herself.
“Let me guess, your handsome prince?”
“Actually the King. Called me a dangerous and principled woman.”
“You like to be dangerous?”
“I think he meant that I don't accept the status quo if I see it as wrong.”
“If I remember my history, in previous days, that sort of statement would make you a revolutionary.”
“Well, yes, but I don't like violence, and I hate chaos.”
“Eliza, I pray your friendship with Albert remains, even if other things don't work out. He's probably going to need friends like you.”
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9.45AM, FRIDAY, 24TH NOVEMBER, TREC MEETING
“So, there you have it, Ladies and Gentlemen. Comments are invited,” Albert concluded his overview of what they'd found out the previous day, and the news from Space Guard.
“The press conference is already called?” asked the defence minister.
“Yes, minister,” the queen replied. “There seems little point in delaying now. We have the agreement between three dreams, we have the news from the science ministry that Space Guard say they will not be able to give us a definite impact point until about twelve hours before impact. That will not be sufficient time to even save all the people, let alone any of their possessions. Do you wish to turn the entire city's population into destitute refugees?”
“Certainly not, Maam.”
The King, silent until now, spoke. “The events that the prince has mentioned, and others he has not, have led me to the conclusion that my wife and the minister for religious affairs were correct. We will be open with our people about the coming events, and will make every preparation that we can. And I mean every. For this reason I wish to inform you that I have not been entirely honest over the past years, and hid my unreasoning anger against God behind a pretense of atheism.” He reached for the queen's hand. “As you know, one of the dreams showed people praying and returning to an undamaged city: God, it seems, wants to give us the opportunity to seek His help as well as to prepare for the worst. If God wishes our nation to pray, then perhaps that is the best preparation we can make. May he show us mercy.”
The queen added “None of the dreams showed people staying in the city and watching the asteroid miss. This reminds me that we cannot treat prayer as magic. It is God who decides if He will answer our requests. We cannot presume that just because we've prayed, it automatically follows that God will answer us, or that He will answer in the way we wish Him to. Therefore, we must evacuate.”
“Your Majesties, where does this leave the missile plans that my staff have been working on?” asked the defense minister, intensely uncomfortable with this talk of God.
The queen answered, “I would personally say, minister, that we have not yet seen those plans, seen a scientific evaluation of their chances of success, seen an evaluation of their potential failure modes, and for instance the possibility that we send the asteroid into one of our allies' laps. Nor have we seen any financial and manpower estimate. I had hoped that you'd be able to present those to us today. Is that possible?”
The minster shook her head. “They tell me they need another few days to be certain, maam, but that it should be possible, with our allies' cooperation.”
The prince said, “What we have seen is two dreams showing different failures, and no dreams of them succeeding. Perhaps that is only two failures out of ten or twenty rockets, but I would certainly like to see evidence that if there are multiple rockets and two fail, the plan is not in ruins.”
The science minister spoke up. “Madame minister, I took it upon myself to contact the Mars terraforming authority for the data for this asteroid, in preparation to scrutinise your plans. I was a little surprised to see that there are size estimates from when the object was first logged, but they sent me nothing about its actual mass. Does that agree with your information?”
“Yes, they included an apology, but said they didn't have that data.”
“But, since it was being pushed around, the data must have been available at some point.”
“I would presume so, but it seems no one thought it worth preserving. So I instructed my people to proceed on the assumption that it is typical for what they send to Mars.”
The science minister nodded. “That was the suggestion in the Mars terraforming project's message to me also. Your Majesties, I preferred not to make assumptions and sent a message to Jupiter control the day before yesterday, asking if the data might be on their systems. I would like to show you a communication I received from the chief engineer at Jupiter Control, yesterday morning.”
He put the message up on the display, and everyone read it: “Hi. Very sorry to hear that that goat's on its way to you. Definitely wasn't behaving like a sheep when I saw it being pushed around by the dogs; I'd estimate its density is at least double what it should have been, but Dan was brand-new at his job back then and obviously wasn't watching the mass-readings. Before the dog went mad, that was just a minor procedural error. After it did, he had other things on his mind, so I'm not surprised that he didn't log the mass. On the other hand, the data should be easily extractable from the telemetry data that would be in the accident log. That would be archived at H.Q. Yours, Shepherd x4, Jack.”
“Apparently the Shepherd x4 he prepended to his name means he's performed four tours of Shepherd duty, which makes him more respected out there than your average admiral. Plus of course he's chief engineer now. I therefore quoted his letter and asked Mars Terraforming Headquarters again, pointing out that we did need precise data if we were going to be able to deflect it. Apparently they'd had so many requests for data about it that they'd set up an AI system to answer them. My initial response came from that system, I'd guess that the defence minister's was too. I now have the mass information. It is certainly not cometary material, the overall density is more consistent with an iron or rocky core, albeit with an icy coating. This is consistent with other so-called 'goats' that Mars terraforming have investigated over the past decade.”
“Thank you, minister. That was most informative, and shows the value in digging further. But could you spell out the implications for us a little, please?” the King asked.
“Your Majesty, if the calculations for the missile intercept are based on the idea of altering the orbit, then they'll be wrong, because the mass they're assuming is wrong. The orbit will only be moved by a third of what they predict, if that. If they're based on assuming they can blast it to bits because it's nothing but a fluffy comet, they'll be wrong because it isn't. Any plans, other than launch windows, that have been made up until now are, roughly speaking not worth writing up. I attempted to get this information to the relevant people in the ministry of defence yesterday afternoon but was told that my contribution would be 'considered before the final report was written.'”
“I see... Minister for defence, do you have any comment?” the king asked.
“I'll institute an investigation, of course, your majesty. That's not the right way to respond to a minister.”
“I think we have a deeper problem here, minister.” the queen said “To use a military metaphor, it seems like you have not understood the enemy you've been assigned as target, nor understood the seriousness with which we expect you and your department to take this issue. Even your attitude to the minister's critical information being brushed off was one of incorrect procedure.”
The King said “Minister, I believe you do not believe that our country is at risk. Am I correct?”
“Your Majesty, with due respect, the scientists say there is only a 4 percent chance of anywhere on Earth being hit. Until it is more likely ...”
“Minister, the science will not say that until it is too late. Intelligence was provided which we assumed, this being an emergency committee, you would work on with the utmost diligence, It seems that you have not done so. That is... disappointing. If you had aired your prejudice earlier then perhaps less time would have been wasted. I hope it is not now too late. I find I can no longer have confidence in you. Ministry staff will, I'm sure, help you to move any personal possessions from the minister's office. You have our permission to withdraw.”
“At your command, Majesty.” As the former minister for defence stood with what dignity she could muster and left the room, the king sent a message from his wrist unit.
“Minister for science, the cabinet has a vacancy, which is not good at a time of crisis. I ask therefore for your opinion: Would you take the rocketry and space-launch wing of the defence ministry under your authority, leaving the more traditional forces with one of the junior ministers, could you recommend someone to be defence minister who has an understanding of the devastation we face, or would you take on all of defence and leave someone in your role?”
“Your Majesty, if a snap decision is needed...”
“It is.”
“Then I would recommend the junior minister for rocketry and space-launch be promoted. She is an intelligent woman, respected in the other wings as far as I know, and it was not her that put my information on hold, but one of the former minister's assistants.”
“And she's your cousin,” the King pointed out.
“That was not a part of my consideration, your Majesty.”
“It should have been,” the king chided. “It would not be acceptable for her to be directly accountable to you.
“The suggested assignment would cause far less disruption than the other options,” the queen said, “and I agree with the science minister's assessment of her qualities.”
“Thank you, dear. Any dissenting voices, speak now, please!”
“Your Majesty, would she be required to take on other responsibilities with the promotion?” asked the minister for finance.
“It is inevitable. She will have to get to know the capabilities of the other wings of defence, and train up a replacement to fill her job.”
“Then I suggest that you make her the full minister, but for the duration of the current crisis have defence run more as three separate ministries. Or perhaps do this permanently. Really, the three wings have grown quite separate anyway.”
“My feeling is that this is a most sensible suggestion. We will have to consider the full implications later. There will be cases when a unified defence ministry is important, I'm sure, but those times probably coincide with times the country needs to be united. Any dissenting voices?”
There were none. “Very well then, Albert, please inform our three new ministers and ask the minister for rocketry to get here before the end of the meeting.”
“Of course, father,” he said and quickly wrote a message on his wrist unit, informing all three new ministers.
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The new minister for rocketry had been deep in discussion with her assistants about the report they were writing. “I know that the Minister said it wasn't high priority, but I don't believe TREC meetings make low priority requests, so let's try and get this ready before the end of the meeting, OK? If his majesty asks for it then let her be able to make it available. At the very least confirm those calculations! They're critical.”
Her wrist unit bleeped. “That's odd, I'm sure I'd set this on quiet!” She glanced at the message, and sat down. Emergency priority message. No wonder her wrist unit had bleeped. “Guys, head's up please. I've just had a message from the palace. I quote: 'Previous defence minister has lost His Majesty's confidence. Three wings of defence will now be full ministerial positions. Minister for rocketry please attend TREC meeting, immediately. N.B. Science minister has obtained true mass data: body is not cometary, rocky/iron core suggested.' So, please follow me as I go to put my coat on and give me any very short comments you might have.”
“No point in confirming those calculations, Maam, they're useless anyway,” said one aid.
“Maybe not. If they really show we'd need our entire arsenal, then that's useful data,” said another.
“Agreed. Other thoughts?” the minister said.
“I've said it before and I'll say it again, it's coming too fast. The range-based triggers we've got will not work reliably at those combined speeds. They'd need to be microsecond accurate, or at best ten microsecond and they only take a ranging ten times a second at maximum rate, with a one percent error. That's roughly a hundred metres of error, when we'd like one.”
“Estimated failure rate?”
“Depends where you want the average explosion to be. We'll lose half of them if we aim for the surface. Aim a hundred metres above and the missiles which blow up there will waste something like eighty-five percent of their energy. Some would be closer, of course, but, still, roughly half of them blow up so far away as to be useless.”
“So, if the calculations based on the real mass say we need a hundred impacts ten metres from the surface...” the minister prompted.
“Launch something like three times that number, aimed fifty metres above, and we might be OK, as long you don't mind scattering the solar system with broken warheads.”
“And as long as we don't end up fragmenting it with a warhead that gets in too close.” Added another aid.
“Thank you everyone. Please do send my wrist unit any calculation results. I'll get you the real mass data as soon as possible. But I think I'm going to recommend that we don't do it this way at all.”
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“Congratulations, minister!” the king welcomed the new member as she was ushered in. “I hadn't expected you to make it this soon.”
“I cheated, your Majesty. I didn't wait for a transport but used one of our vehicles.”
“Appropriate use of resources in time of crisis. I approve. Now, the ex-minister for defense assured us that with time it would be possible to deflect this incoming rock. I understand from the science minister that she did not give you the correct data, but based on the knowledge that it is considerably more dense, could you give me your best guess?”
“Sir, my colleague who knows our space intercept missiles best tells me there is a significant problem. The missiles were designed for slower targets, where either the missile would be catching up and overtaking the intended target, or our missile would scatter debris in front of its target to disable the incoming missile or aggressive space vehicle. This second method will have no relevance to the asteroid, as it is large. The guidance system is not sufficiently accurate to reliably give us a close explosion at the speeds involved. We would need a statistical approach.”
The finance minister spoke up, “Excuse my ignorance, madam minister, could the explosion not be triggered on impact?”
“Not really, sir. The combined impact speed will be over a hundred kilometres per second, or a hundred metres per millisecond. The impact would destroy the missile before the warhead could trigger.”
“And a redesign of the guidance system?” asked the prince.
“Very difficult, sir. I understand there is also a power requirement issue. More pulses per second means that much more power. Ideally the radar pulses would only speed up as the missile approaches the target. Else, if the pulses are too close together when the missile is far away there would be confusion... It is all solvable, but to minimise the number of warheads needed we should be launching in the next few days, at most a week or two. So there isn't time for designing and testing a new system. That would take months on a normal schedule, even running tests in parallel and giving them absolute priority, I'm told that unless we cut dangerous corers we can't get it down to less than six weeks. I'm sorry sir.”
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
“So we're left with multiple launches and hope that the statistics are in our favour,” the king summarised.
“Yes, your Majesty.”
“And based on the inaccurate mass data, can you give me an estimate of how many launches we're talking about?”
“The initial calculation said five or six, sir, but I'm afraid that there were some errors in the calculations. Now... I'm awaiting confirmation, but I believe we would have needed approximately a fifth of our missile stockpile to correctly explode between ten and fifty metres from the asteroid.”
“And allowing for statistics?” the queen asked.
“Half the missiles we possess, if not more than that. It depends on how soon we can launch without hitting any satellites, space trafic or the moon.”
“And so deflecting this asteroid using our conventional defensive missiles would leave our realm with a crippled missile defence capability?” summarised the King.
“Yes, sir.”
“Thank you for your assessment. Now, you don't know a lot of details that the rest of us do. Here is a briefing document that you should read. A lot of it is going to be made public very soon. The document was written before we were certain where the impact would be. We now are.”
“Space Guard have an exact orbit, sir? I'm amazed.”
“Unfortunately,” the Prince began, “Space Guard do not now expect to have an exact orbit until about twelve hours before impact. In fact, Space Guard only found the object when we asked them if a certain object could hit on Valentine's day. That information came from a series of prophetic dreams about ten years ago, which have been separately confirmed by other people who had no knowledge of the initial series.
“There have been an impressive number of other dreams in the same sequence which have been fulfilled. I don't know if you have any faith in God, minister, however, these three people had dreams which contain geographical references to the same city, devastated by a Tunguska style event.”
“So we must presume the data is accurate,” the King concluded.
“I am somewhat shocked, your Majesty. The former minister made no reference to such accurate data, only to Space Guard.”
“So, now that you know, could we have your recommendation?”
“Your Majesty, I recommend that we do not use our defensive missiles in this manner. The chances of success are too small and the implications for wider defense of the realm are too large. With replacement rates it would take at least six months to restock. If we had a better guidance system, we could fit some rockets with nuclear weapons, which would be more powerful of course. But I personally hate the thought of launching multiple nuclear weapons in the hope that one would do what we want it to. Plus we'd be far more likely to shatter the asteroid, I expect, rather than deflect it.
“If we do want to break up the asteroid, it would actually be far easier to hit it with a large lump of something heavy than to try any type of explosive missile.”
“Thank you, minister. Do you happen to have something large and heavy in mind?” the King said.
“No, sir. I'm sorry, I confused several thoughts. My recommendation is that even with a city to defend, we do not attempt to use nuclear warheads on our interceptor missiles, or gamble crippling our missile defensive screen on the slim hope that we might deflect this asteroid. We have no guarantee of succeeding but just one rogue state's multiple-warhead missile could destroy several cities and kill millions.
“As a collaborative effort, where all major nations contributed, we could contribute thirty percent of our stockpile without significant loss of operational effectiveness. Otherwise we'd be launching a new untried system and hoping it works. I'm sorry I cannot be more hopeful, sir.”
The queen reassured her. “Minister, you have provided us with useful data and informed opinions. We cannot ask you for miracles.”
“Minister, if we did decide to launch something big and heavy, what would you recommend?” the prince asked, curiously.
“I'd recommend a moon-based launch of some rock, sir. There's no point in overcoming the Earth's gravity-well, and that would leave more fuel available for course corrections.”
“And what launcher?” The king asked, “No one has missile installations on the moon.”
“Sir, I'd propose that we use a cargo rocket. They have good guidance systems for when they're delivering to orbital platforms, and I expect it wouldn't be too difficult to to put in some extra tanks for some more range.”
“And a big pile of rocks?” the prince added.
“Yes sir. One or two tonnes of rock with a combined impact speed of a hundred kilometres per second should do a lot of damage to the asteroid.”
“But would it alter the course enough?” asked the King.
“I'm not at all sure, sir.”
“Very well, please keep us posted on all possibilities. I'm sure the science ministry can explore these options as well.”
“Yes, sir!” affirmed the minister.
“Now, Albert, you've been working on a list of legislation that we should announce.”
“Yes, Father. Ministers, this list is not set in stone, but I present it in the interests of shaping discussion. It is probably not complete, either. It is more a list of ideas and recommendations from myself, their majesties, and others. The first of the recommendations is that the stock-markets should be closed from the beginning of the press conference, until after the weekend, or perhaps longer.”
There was agreement from all round the room, and the King, forewarned, sent the already-prepared order. The stock markets would be closed.
“We further suggest that the committee discuss whether the housing market in the affected city be suspended. The opportunity for that discussion will be later on.
“The next suggestion is legislation to prevent any form of profiteering, hoarding and panic buying. To this end, we suggest rules restricting price rises on goods and services to no more than five percent relative to a year earlier, without government approval. Obviously internationally traded items such as gold would not be covered in this. We also suggest that insurers be required to apply the same cover that would apply to possessions in people's homes to possessions that are in government storage or that people reasonably have with them in temporary shelter. A grand piano in a tent would not be reasonable, obviously.
"We suggest that in compensation for this extending of cover, in the event of the impact occurring, no claims for loss of anything left in the city will be considered, no matter what clauses might or might not apply. Also, hard evidence will be needed to prove that the item being claimed for was not left in the city, for example a certified inventory of stored items. “Similarly, we suggest that banks and other companies making secured loans not be permitted to terminate the loan agreement without evidence that the customer has breached their part of the contract, or to alter the terms of the loan in any way. Conversely, that any person who seeks to take advantage of this law and stops making repayments without any attempt to negotiate, (or attempts to negotiate without supporting documentation which proves dire need) be punished with immediate repossession. This would of course be a matter for the courts to decide.
"We suggest that the announcement remind people that if a bank or loan company does repossess then they would obviously lose title to the land, and thus to any rebuilding aid.
“Regarding stockpiling and panic buying, one option would be to impose universal rationing, but we felt that was far too drastic. Therefore, we suggest rules preventing shoppers from making purchases which would represent more than two week's consumption, unless they can prove this is their normal shopping practice at that particular store. Also, we suggest reminding people that this does not affect the entire country, only the one city.
“Certain sectors of the economy will be drastically hit before the impact: home improvement and building supplies, obviously. These sectors will however see an upsurge in turnover after the event. Obviously stock will need to be moved from the affected areas. We suggest that government loans be available to affected businesses, with the proviso note that the government will require full repayment, through community service from the company's board members if no other means is available to them.
“If the housing market is suspended, then obviously estate agents, building surveyors and others in that sector will be severely affected, and we do not expect an upturn in the event of the impact occurring. Relocation to other locations may be the preferred option for these companies.
“If the impact does occur, then there will be a very large number of people owing money on a house which has been reduced to rubble. We remind people that the debt remains and they have the choice of accepting repossession or making continued payments. We again suggest reminding people that there will be no rebuilding aid given to those who have no land on which to build, or title to a flat or apartment.
“Our understanding is that the initial rebuilding aid programme is currently expected to concentrate on the rapid construction of simple homes which will be expanded later on. Longer term, apartment blocks can be built, of course, and it is anticipated that people will be able to choose to wait for an equivalent apartment to that which they lost or move into new land made available for the simple homes. We suggest that businesses, possibly individuals as well, have the option of choosing to accept a one off cash payment and rebuild themselves. However, we expect the cash payment will not be equal to the eventual value of the rebuilding aid package.
“We recommend warning people that even if cellars and other underground structures do withstand the impact, there is no guarantee that they will withstand rapid clearance of devastated areas by heavy machinery.”
“Looting is of course a risk. We suggest that anyone caught looting be put to manual labour in the rebuilding effort, but could not agree a timescale for this. We also suggest that home owners not be permitted to return to their homes after the impact except with documentation of where their house used to be and possibly also police escort. We suggest that to avoid false accusations of looting, every household be provided with a certificate giving the location of their house in terms of latitude and longitude, and that perhaps neighbours could add to this certificate agreed boundary lines.
“We raise the possibility that alternatively building surveyors and estate agents could also play a part in this process, documenting the pre-impact state and size of homes, and that it could help with the eventual rebuilding aid process. Thank you for your attention. Are there any clarification questions?”
The minister for finance asked “Is it the intention then, that the rapidly built residences become permanent?”
“Would the minister for planning and development like to comment?” the prince asked.
“His Majesty prompted me to find novel solutions. I have begun that process and can say that some of them hold a lot of potential, but I'm not yet sure they will scale. One interesting one, for instance, is using forcefields to constrain poured concrete. That is obviously a technique for large buildings, but it means that the normal approaches that require the lower floors to harden before the next ones up can be built are not needed, so the concrete pouring time is essentially the delivery time.”
“Most interesting. And on the smaller scale?”
“Well, for many purposes, wood is still king — it's fast to nail together, reasonably lightweight and as long as you don't burn it or let the insects get to it, then it can last for centuries. But those caveats are pretty significant and anyway, there isn't nearly enough seasoned wood available to build a city. Foamed concrete is far more suited to mass production can be drilled and such like, and can be made just as insulating as wood, but it's fragile: it hardly has any bending strength when it's thin, so you can't use it to hold up a roof, say. We're investigating studies into alternative compounds, adding carbon nano-tubes or graphene to the mix, for example.
"If we can do that, then we'd have the material. The problem would then be bringing the plant on-line. Perhaps the forcefield approach would help here too, I'm not sure. Another approach is to use the local soil, either for a geopolymer material or a more traditional adobe. Initial tests on the soil as to which it is more suitable for are underway. The adobe would need covering to keep rain off, but short term, simple plastic sheeting will do for that.
“But, in any case, getting back to the original question, yes, we're planning to have something available which will make long-lasting walls, and hopefully long-lasting roofs too.”
“Thank you, minister.” the King said, “Any other clarification questions?”
“May we ask, sir, who these others are that you mentioned?” the justice minister asked. “The list seems quite complete to me, and it seems that a lot of thought has gone into it.”
“You may ask, minister,” replied the queen with a smile. “I leave it to Albert to reply.”
Albert groaned inwardly, guessing what was coming next. “Yesterday, my father's memories of his dream and those of the other two witnesses were compared, in order to see if we could be certain of the asteroid's target.
"For various reasons several other members of the committee for major threat assessment were also invited. My mother and I started some brain-storming over lunch, and while I was away at a debate the others continued with that task.”
“Ah, and your highness's comments at the debate which have so rapidly filled the press with curiosity refer to a member of this group?”
“I wholeheartedly repent of my reported comments at the debate, minister, and have apologised to the lady in question,” the prince said.
“But yes, she was in that group,” the Queen added, with a smile, “and I find myself in agreement with my son's comments, however unwise it was of him to make them when the press was listening,”
The minister for religious affairs said, “I'm sure that the other ministers here will join me then in expressing our best wishes to you both, and hope that even if you have no plans to meet at the moment you will eventually be able to introduce us to her.”
“Thank you, sir. I will pass on your best wishes to her,” the prince said, trying hard not to blush, and failing.
The king said, “As well as the youngsters' understandable desire for a little privacy while they work out their feelings for each other, there are other reasons that press attention and speculation is particularly inappropriate. The young lady is currently in witness protection, expecting to give evidence in person.”
The justice minister blanched at the implications. “Majesty, I presume that as she is currently in the witness protection scheme, the accused know who she is and that she could give evidence against them. Should she become significant in the prince's life, then without drastic surgery it will be impossible to hide her from them. The risk of assassination... it would be far safer for her not to become involved with the prince.”
“Yes, minister. I know,” the King said. “On the assumption that neither she nor my son want to take that route out of this, the question is whether not giving evidence would make her any safer. I will be discussing this with the relevant people quite soon, I assure you.”
“It hadn't occurred to me, minister,” the prince admitted, with his heart feeling as heavy as lead. “Thank you for raising the issue. Might we move on to discussing the press conference?”
----------------------------------------
[Albert, is now a good time to talk?] Eliza called.
[Urm, I guess so. I've got a bit of time.]
[Great! I met with my counsellor at IHM today. Guess what? She says I'm sane and in love. I certainly agree with the second bit. How are you? Was the meeting useful?]
[Urm, there's something I have to say, Eliza.]
[What is it?]
[I think we should break up.]
[{shock}]
[I'm sorry, Eliza. I really care about you. Too much. That's why.]
[{pain, confusion} I don't understand, Albert. Why does you caring for me mean we should break up, just as we're falling in love?]
[I don't want to get you killed. I refuse to get you killed. So we need to break up.]
[Albert... I'm not sure you're making very much sense.]
[Eliza, think about it. You're in witness protection. You're at risk, and need to hide. I'm surrounded by the press and therefore incredibly dangerous to you. I've put you at risk already. If I love you, then I need to stay away from you and let you disappear. If we get closer, you can't disappear and so I'm putting you in danger. I refuse to do that. I'm sorry. I'd like to stay friends, but we can't get close.]
[I'm going to break off for a bit, Albert, I need to hide my tears better from Bella.]
[OK. I'm so sorry, Eliza.]
[Talk to you later, Albert. I love you.]
[I love you too, Eliza. That's why we need to break up.]
That logic sounded so wrong to Eliza she could have screamed, had she not been about to get into the transit back to the safe-house with Bella.
“Are you OK?” Bella asked, who'd noticed Eliza's sudden change of mood.
“Mostly.”
“Just, ten seconds ago you were walking ten feet off the ground, and now you look like you ran head-first into a brick wall.”
“Well, Kate told me I was sane.”
“That's great news, isn't it?”
“Yes. Except one excuse to get out has just evaporated, and I want to break something.”
Bella looked at Eliza. Her smile was gone, her muscles were tense, her eyebrows pulled together, there seemed to be tears in her eyes. It was clear that she was angry or upset or both. In fact, she'd never seen Eliza like this.
“There's something else too, isn't there?”
“Yes. Now can you let me handle it?”
“I don't know. Can you?”
“I hope so. Probably not.”
“Want to talk?”
“No.”
“Is it something I've said or done?”
“Yes. You dumped me in the prince's lap yesterday. I was even about to forgive you for it too. But I'm not sure now.”
“What changed?”
“I've just talked to him.”
“And?”
“He's dumping me because he loves me.”
“I thought you weren't going to go out?”
“You were meant to.”
Bella got the point immediately. “Eliza Underwood, you're a very sneaky woman. So you weren't going to make plans to meet, but you were going to be talking regularly? Is that it?”
“Yes.”
“And you were ten feet off the ground because you'd realised you were in love?”
“Yes.”
“And he's realised he isn't?”
“He claims that he's realised that seeing me could get me killed, so we need to break it off.”
“And don't you get a say in the matter?”
“Not so far.”
“Tell him from me that I'll chuck him through a plate glass window if he's not more respectful for my friend's feelings.”
That brought a wan smile from Eliza, but she said: “No.”
“Why not?”
“He's the crown prince, you'll get in serious trouble if I say such things.”
“You're probably right,” sighed Bella. “So what are you going to do?”
“Try to convince him otherwise, of course,” Eliza said.
“He's right, you know,” Bella admitted.
“Why? Why does he need to break up with me because he loves me?”
“Well, you've got to hide. After the trial you'll need a new name, new place to live, maybe even a new face, if you want to be really safe. Definitely not your face on every news channel, with them digging into your past. Sorry, but it's the unpleasant harsh truth. I should have thought it through better. I'm really sorry.”
“And if I refuse?”
“Refuse what?”
“To change my name, etcetera. I'd decided that a long time ago, not just because of Albert.”
“You're running a big risk. Evil Ibrahim could plan a revenge attack, and apart from him, if you become publicly linked to the prince then there's risks of political assassination, you name it.”
“But that's true for any woman he gets involved with, no?”
“I suppose so,” Bella conceded.
“So, there's a risk in not changing my face, but I like the one I have. There's a risk in not changing my name, but I won't do that anyway, and there's an additional risk of assassination if I'm seen with him, but that's universally applicable. Do you agree?”
“When you put it like that... I suppose so. You want him that much?”
“I've declared to their majesties that I'll do all I can to support the monarchy. Albert is immature and makes silly decisions like this one and blabbing about me at debates and needs someone to help him grow up. I love him and I don't want to trust him to someone else. They might not recognise all his faults or know how to deal with them.”
“I see. You've obviously thought about it, but you'd better expand on the blabbing about you at a debate thing. When are you going to deal with this bad decision?”
“Just as soon as my protection officer stops talking to me,” Eliza said with a grin. All was not lost, she was sure.
“Go for it, Eliza!”
[Albert, you're wrong!] Eliza started.
[I'm also about to be live in front of millions.]
[Oh, press briefing?]
[Yes.]
[I'll convince you you're wrong later then. Love you.]
[I hope you can, but I'm pretty well decided.]
[Easy! I couldn't hide it from Bella, so she knows what you did to me just now, and she agreed with you at first, but I convinced her. So I'll convince you later.]
[I love you too, Eliza, but I refuse to get you killed.]
[You won't, don't worry. But don't you go making decisions or announcements about me without talking it thorough first, or I'll be very angry.]
“Bother!” Eliza said “Bother, drat, and bother again.”
“Problem?”
“The press briefing's starting.”
“Oh. Mind if we turn it on?”
“No. At least that way I'll know when I can bug him some more.”
Bella turned on a news channel, and they watched the announcement that the world was about to turn upside down for the city they were in.
The King addressed the assembled reporters and cameras. “Reporters of the free press, citizens of our realm, we address you today on a matter of extreme seriousness. I have ordered the stock markets to be closed in order that our economy not suffer the additional strain of panic-selling. It is our conviction that our realm is mature and most of our citizens are sensible enough to handle the truth, and that withholding information that affects us all is not in the interests of the public good. I note that, despite the pessimistic expectations of many, there have been no riots or unrest at the recent revelations which have given such a boost to our glove-making industry. I hope and trust that you, our people will similarly remain calm in the light of the crisis we are about to reveal to you. Prince Albert will present to you the history leading up to this press conference, in the sequence that we learned about it. There will be details in the briefing pack.”
----------------------------------------
[Hi, handsome! Nice speech, well delivered. Even Bella agrees. Is that your part over?]
[Yes, Eliza, for now. But I do need to look like I'm paying attention to my Father.]
[Of course! Just remember to keep me a secret in the questions. I'll be good and finish my essay before I interrupt you again.]
----------------------------------------
2PM
Someone had to ask it. All the reporters from that section of the press had the sense that, never mind the impending doom, their readers would still want to know about the prince's love life.
“Your Highness, where does your beautiful friend fit into the timetable you outlined?”
“No comment.”
“Was she aware of the contents of this briefing?” someone else asked.
“No comment.”
“When will you next meet her, sir?”
“As I've said before, we have no plans to meet romantically, if that is your question.”
“Then you will meet her in another context, Sir?”
“Ladies and gentlemen,” interrupted the queen, “this is not an opportunity for you to ask about my son's love life. Can we return to the subject at hand?”
----------------------------------------
5PM
Bella had a new hobby, or rather, a new aspect of her job: she now had to read gossip columns. So it was that she read:
“Asteroid impact: did Prince's love know of Valentine's day disaster? The prince refused to comment on whether his 'wise and beautiful friend' was aware of the impact, (due to occur on Valentine's day) and the queen felt it was necessary to intervene to prevent further discussion of her son's love life. The prince still claims that they have no plans to meet romantically, but refused to be drawn on whether they would meet for another purpose. We note that the mysterious 'Committee for major threat assessment', described in the recent press release in connection with the impact, have been meeting with the royals in the last few days to discuss the impact threat, and it seems reasonable for us to guess that the woman who has become so significant in the prince's thinking at the moment is on this committee. Unfortunately this is a dead end, as far as identifying her is concerned, as the secretive committee makes no public reports and meets behind the reporting barrier of the Institute for the Human Mind. The intriguing question that follows is what links her to this institute? Is she staff, is she a thought-hearer, or merely someone who knows people who are?”
“Eliza, I know I'm interrupting your essay, but what do you think of this?”
Bella showed it to Eliza.
“Innnteresting. A little closer to the truth than the normal gossip columnist.”
“Yes. I wonder if someone leaked something,” Bella speculated.
“Who could know even that much?”
“I'm not sure. Someone at the palace? Or at the Institute?”
“Sounds entirely unlikely, from either source,” Eliza said.
“I agree.”
“So, who wrote it?”
“No one I've ever heard of: Jillian McPhearson.”
“Never heard of her either. Anything we should do?”
“Yes. I'll forward it to Maria.”
“Hmm. Maybe I should alert Kate. I'm sure she'll be thrilled with the thought of royal-watchers descending on the Institute.”
----------------------------------------
5:30PM
“Hello, Mrs Jillian McPhearson?” Teresa asked.
“Yes?” it sounded like a fairly elderly lady.
“My name is Teresa Riley, I'm the legal advisor for the Institute for the Human Mind.”
“Ah... did my little article hit a raw nerve?”
“I'm not sure if you're aware, but the computer system flags up all published articles that refer to the Institute, and when they speculate about someone working or visiting there, then it gets forwarded to me.”
“So this is merely a formality?”
“I'm not sure that 'formality' is the correct term. Your article got very close to telling people that if they really want to see the next queen before anyone else does, then their best bet would be to hang around the Institute. That's not exactly ideal for the Institute's clients, who have a legal right to remain anonymous.”
“But was I right? That's amazing!”
“Mrs McPhearson, I would like to point out that in the situation that you were correct, your article would have technically broken the law, since if the woman in question is ever named, then you will have identified her as having a reason to visit Institute.”
“You're serious?”
“The law is quite clear, Mrs McPhearson. You may not mention comings or goings at the Institute. Your article even remarks on the reporting restriction. You have said that the prince is probably in love with a person who almost certainly visits the Institute. That might be on the right side of the law. If you had named a person and said they almost certainly visit the Institute then I am quite convinced that you'd be on the wrong side of the law.
Obviously the question of whether you put in enough maybes and the like to keep you on the right side of the law could be tested in the courts. I'm not sure what Internal Security's decision in this matter will be.”
“But the Institute's?”
“I do not make policy, maam. I've been asked to contact you, warn you of the situation, and ask about your intentions for the piece and any sources.”
“My intentions?”
“Yes. Are you intending that it be one of many speculations concerning whether the lady in question goes to other places, for example that maybe she has links with Jupiter like the asteroid does? Or are you intending to carry out an investigation about who is on the committee?”
“Oh, I see. I don't know if you're familiar with my work at all?”
“No, I'm afraid not, maam.”
“I do speculative celebrity pieces. They don't usually lead anywhere.”
“I see. And in this case?”
“No. Almost certainly not.”
“I'm glad to hear it. Now, the matter of sources. I don't want to know who, I understand professional ethics very well. But did you have any, or was there anyone who suggested that line of speculation to you?”
“Even answering that question could be a breach of ethics in some situations.”
“I hope that this is not such a situation.”
“You don't credit me with making the connections myself?”
“My fiancé is a journalist, Mrs McPhearson. He's very good at making connections, I've seen him do it, but yours seemed to come just a little too quickly, and too detailed. For instance, the link between the committee and the Institute is not generally known.”
“But... I'm sure I read that somewhere else, I wouldn't have used it otherwise...”
“Thank you for that confirmation, Mrs McPhearson.”
“Have I just been tricked?”
“Not really. There were several ways you could have found it out, but it was certainly not included on the briefing document that went to the press. It hasn't been generally published, or should I say, wasn't until your piece.”
“May I ask, where I might have read it? Otherwise it's going to bug me.”
“I'm afraid the information I have received from Security only lists three places you could have read it, but there may be more. You might have read it in the top secret briefing to The Royal Emergency Committee, a recommendation to the United Nations, and a briefing document hand delivered from Security to the royal family.”
“Urm. Were any of those documents in the public domain?”
“The UN one was marked unclassified, but it was an appendix to a secure briefing document. It's not the sort of thing that would normally make it into a reporter's hands.”
“Should I go and talk to a lawyer?”
“You're talking to one now. My advice: hand over any paperwork to the nice people in Security immediately. I might add that I've found that they are very nice people who care a lot for the freedoms that you and I take for granted.”
“But I don't have any official documents! The closest thing to official documents that I read are from my husband's role as minute taker at church meetings — I check that it makes sense. That was it... there was something about pastor Arwood being asked to be on the committee.”
“That sounds entirely plausible, maam. I suggest you take that document to Security, I'm sure it'll set their minds at rest. And tell Pastor Arwood about this conversation and that I said hello.”
“You know Arwood?”
“Yes, Mrs McPhearson. I know Arwood, and some members of your church led me to Christ at the Institute a few months ago. Do you think that, perhaps, in the future, you might be a little more considerate of their friends' privacy and safety?”
“It was only meant to be a bit of fun! I mean, the prince isn't even officially going out with anyone!”
“I'm sure that'll be reassuring to everyone when an assassin puts a bullet in the poor girl's head.”
“What?!”
“That is, after all, what the laws you've been flirting with are intended to prevent. There are people out there who don't like our country in general or the Prince in particular. There are probably more who don't like the Institute. To link the Prince with the Institute like you've done... I suggest you pray, Mrs McPhearson, and if you feel led perhaps you could give a hint to Security about who set you on this path.”
“But I don't know how to contact them!”
“Would you like me to ask them to contact you, maam?”
“Yes, please! I don't want anyone to be hurt!”
----------------------------------------
6:20PM, IHM
“Welcome, Dirk, Eliza. You're happy with this idea from Bella? No need to change anything?” John asked.
“She's come up with a good line, just enough fact and gossip. I think it'll lead people up the wrong path.” Eliza said.
“Yes, I think it should work. Let's hope she's willing,” Dirk said. “They said she lives near here?”
“Yes, three houses away. I've known her at church for years, but I didn't know where she lives until just now.”
----------------------------------------
6:30PM
“Hello, John!”
“Hello, Jillian. I know Arwood's warned you to be careful what you say in your articles before now. Now look what you've done! Anyway, This young lady is called Eliza, her brother's called Dirk and they both work in Security, normally doing witness protection, but they were free and nearby when Teresa called. I've just come along to make the introductions and I'd like you to tell them anything you feel able to.”
“Well yes. Urm. I don't know much, really, but I got an annonymous tip-off this morning, just before the press conference — I'll show you: here it is on the house computer. It doesn't say much really.”
“This is the original message?” Dirk asked.
“Yes.”
“And you haven't sent it on from another computer, or anything like that?” He double-checked.
“No, no, it just came like that.”
“Thank you very much, Mrs McPhereson. I'll just take a copy if that's all right?”
“Yes. It doesn't say much, does it?”
“No, maam. Just enough: Prince's love interest probably member of 'Committee for major threat assessment' which meets at I.H.M.”
“And you based your article wholly on that?”
“Well, I knew about the Institute of course. How could I not?”
“Indeed,” Eliza said.
“I didn't know you lived so close, Jillian!” John added.
“You and Sarah must come over for a cup of tea some time on your way home, John,” she said, then added, “Plus, there was the last set of church minutes, when Arwood was saying that he and Hannah have been asked to help on the committee, and they felt it was very important work.”
“Are those minutes published yet?” Eliza asked.
“Not yet,” John said.
“Can we get the committee name removed, for security purposes?”
“Of course,” John said.
“Good, that's another bit of damage limitation.”
“And the final piece?” Dirk asked.
“Yes. Mrs McPhearson, would you be willing to retract your article? We can't stop people passing it on by word of mouth, but if you would formally retract it then we can get it removed from everywhere,” Eliza asked, sweetly.
“It'd look very odd, wouldn't it?”
“I think, Jillian, you could produce an alternative one, saying you've had another exciting lead, couldn't you?” John asked.
“Could I?”
“Well, the prince did have an hour or two to kill between meetings in the university's astronomy department,” Eliza pointed out.
“Oh! Yes, he did, didn't he!”
“And I have it on very good authority that between those meetings he was heard to speak to a young lady he'd met recently,” Dirk added with a visible wink to his sister.
“And we don't need to say anything about other times he might have met her, do we?” John asked.
“Oh! No, not at all! But... she won't mind?”
“Jillian... please, please don't pass this on, but... I was at the palace the other day,” John said. “I heard the woman he talked to between the astronomy meetings telling him she wasn't really interested in changing her career, and that he shouldn't be interested in her since she wasn't a Christian either, but that her pretty friend sitting the other side of the prince had a strong faith. If that hadn't been said, who knows where it might have ended up. I don't think she'll mind protecting her friend.”
“Not at all,” Eliza said. “She does it all the time.”
Jillian looked at Eliza, and drew all the wrong conclusions, just as she was supposed to.
“His mother used to be in Security, didn't she?”
“Yes. Best in her year at self-defence,” Eliza said.
“Is that true?” Jillian asked.
“Oh yes, I've seen her name on the cup.”
“Oh how lovely!” said Jillian. “So, I'll withdraw this version of the article... Exciting new lead... Can you check I don't get it wrong?”
“Of course, Jillian,” Eliza said, reassuringly.
“So what's he like?”
“Well, you know... Handsome, charming, desperately needs a wife to sort him out, just like most men.”
“Hey!” Dirk said.
“So... We know that the prince had an hour between meetings at the university, during which time he was seen talking to a very pretty young red-head in Security...”
“I won't comment on that bit,” Eliza said.
“Who would have witnessed his discussion with the professor?” Jillian asked.
“Doesn't ring true. There's normally a closed door when the prince is meeting people,” Dirk said.
“Oh, so... one hour ample opportunity to discuss matters of concern?”
“In a public corridor?” Eliza asked.
“No, that's not good, either.”
“How about, 'A good opportunity for a first chat?'” John asked.
“Of course!” Jillian said with a smile.
Eventually the new article was written.
[It's done, love,] John told Sarah. [On its way to her column right now.]
[Oh great! I'll pass that on to Eliza.]
[I will. I want to give her some more details, feel free to eavesdrop. Just thought you'd want to know I'm coming home.]
----------------------------------------
[Hi Eliza! Bella's version of the prince's love-life is now making its way to people's living rooms, complete with 'A very attractive red-head in Security'.] John thought.
[Red-head?]
[Yes, Eliza wore a wig.]
[Excellent idea!] Eliza exclaimed.
[That's what I thought. It was an anonymous tip-off — 'Prince's love interest probably member of 'Committee for major threat assessment' which meets at I.H.M.' How's your essay?]
[One more line to go.]
[I'll let you finish.]
[Thanks!]
----------------------------------------