can't live like this. She's concerned about Earth and the Solar System and - and she thinks about my father sometimes. She thinks that Nemesis may be the nemesis of the Solar System and since she gave it the name, she feels responsible. She's an emotional person, Commissioner.'
'Yes? You've noticed that, have you?'
'And she bothers you. She reminds you every once in a while about matters that she feels strongly about, and you don't want to hear about, and so you refuse to see her, and you wish she'd go away. You can send her away, Commissioner.'
'Indeed? We've got one other Settlement. Shall I send her to New Rotor?'
'No, Commissioner. Send her to Erythro.'
'Erythro? But why should I send her there? Just because I want to get rid of her?'
'That would be your reason. Yes, Commissioner. It would not be my reason, though. I want her on Erythro because she can't really work at the Observatory. The instruments always seem to be in use and she feels she's being watched all the time. She feels your annoyance. And besides, Rotor isn't a good base for delicate measurements. It turns too rapidly and too unevenly for good measurements.'
'You have it all at your fingertips. Did your mother explain this to you? No, you don't have to tell me. She didn't tell you directly, did she? Only indirectly.'
'Yes, Commissioner. And there's my computer.'
'The one you have friendly relations with?'
'Yes, Commissioner.'
'And so you think she will be able to work better on Erythro.'
'Yes, Commissioner. It will be a stabler base, and she might make the kind of measurements that will convince her that the Solar System will survive. Even if she finds out otherwise, it will take a long time for her to be sure of that and for that time, at least, you'll be rid of her.'
'I see that you want to be rid of her, too, is that it?'
'Not at all, Commissioner,' said Marlene with composure. 'I would go with her. You'd be rid of me, too, which would please you even more than being rid of her.'
'What makes you think I want to get rid of you, too?'
Marlene fixed her gaze on him, somber, unblinking. 'Now you do, Commissioner, since you now know that I have no trouble in interpreting your inner feelings.'
Suddenly, Pitt found himself desperately wanting to get rid of this monster. He said, 'Let me think about this,' and turned his head. He felt that he was being childish in looking away, but he did not want this horrible youngster to read his face like the open book it was.
It was, after all, the truth. He did now want to get rid of mother and daughter alike. Where the mother was concerned, he had indeed thought, on several occasions, of exiling her to Erythro. But since she would scarcely have wanted to go, there would have been a most unappetizing fuss and he had no stomach for that. Now, though, her daughter had given him a reason why she might indeed want to go to Erythro, and that, of course, changed things.
He said slowly, 'If your mother really wants this-'
'She really does, Commissioner. She hasn't mentioned it to me, and it may be she hasn't even thought of it yet, but she will want to go. I know that. Trust me.'
'Do I have a choice? And do you want to go?'
'Very much, Commissioner.'
'Then I will arrange for it at once. Does that satisfy you?'
'Yes, it does, Commissioner.'
'Then shall we now consider the interview at an end?'
Marlene rose and ducked her head in a graceless bow, presumably one that was intended to be respectful. 'Thank you, Commissioner.'
She turned and left, and it wasn't till she had been gone for several minutes that Pitt dared unclench the grip that had kept his face in place till it was aching,
He dared not have allowed her to deduce from anything he said or did or seemed, the final item that he, and only one other person, knew about Erythro.
Chapter 11. Orbit
19
Pitt's quiet time was over, but he did not wish it to be over. Quite arbitrarily, he canceled his afternoon appointments. He wanted more thinking time.
Specifically, he wanted to think about Marlene.
Her mother, Eugenia Insigna Fisher, was a problem, and had, in fact, grown to be more of one over the last dozen years. She was emotional and jumped far ahead of anything reason would allow. Yet she was a human being; she could be led and controlled; she could be