Rendezvous With Rama - Arthur C. Clarke Page 0,74

be intercepted; it is going by multiple-pseudo-random routing, so I can talk in clear English. Your reply may not be secure, so speak with discretion and use code when necessary. I will call you immediately after the General Assembly discussion. Message concluded. C in C, out.”

CHAPTER 38

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

According to the history books—though no one could really believe it—there had been a time when the old United Nations had 172 members. The United Planets had only seven; and that was sometimes bad enough. In order of distance from the Sun, they were Mercury, Earth, Luna, Mars, Ganymede, Titan, and Triton.

The list contained numerous omissions and ambiguities which presumably the future would rectify. Critics never tired of pointing out that most of the United Planets were not planets at all, but satellites. And how ridiculous that the four giants Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune were not included.

But no one lived on the Gas Giants, and quite possibly no one ever would. The same might be true of the other major absentee, Venus. Even the most enthusiastic of planetary engineers agreed that it would take centuries to tame Venus; meanwhile, the Hermians kept their eyes on it, and doubtless brooded over long-range plans.

Separate representation for Earth and Luna had also been a bone of contention. The other members argued that it put too much power in one corner of the solar system. But there were more people on the Moon than on all the other worlds except Earth itself, and it was the meeting place of the U.P. Moreover, Earth and Moon hardly ever agreed on anything, so they were not likely to constitute a dangerous bloc.

Mars held the asteroids in trust, except for the Icarian group (supervised by Mercury), and a handful with perihelions beyond Saturn and thus claimed by Titan. One day the larger asteroids, such as Pallas, Vesta, Juno, and Ceres, would be important enough to have their own ambassadors, and the membership of the U.P. would then reach two figures.

Ganymede represented not only Jupiter—and therefore more mass than all the rest of the solar system put together—but also the remaining fifty or so Jovian satellites, if one included temporary captures from the asteroid belt—though lawyers were still arguing over this. In the same way, Titan took care of Saturn, its rings, and the other thirty-plus satellites.

The situation for Triton was even more complicated. The large moon of Neptune was the outermost body in the solar system under permanent habitation; as a result, its Ambassador wore a considerable number of hats. He represented Uranus and its eight moons (none yet occupied); Neptune and its other three satellites; Pluto and its solitary moon; and lonely, moonless Persephone. If there were planets beyond Persephone they, too, would be Triton’s responsibility. And as if that was not enough, the Ambassador from Outer Darkness, as he was sometimes called, had been heard to ask plaintively: “What about comets?” It was generally felt that this problem could be left for the future to solve.

And yet, in a real sense that future was already here. By some definitions, Rama was a comet. They were the only other visitors from the interstellar deeps, and many had traveled on hyperbolic orbits even closer to the Sun than Rama’s. Any space lawyer could make a good case out of that—and the Hermian Ambassador was one of the best. “We recognize His Excellency the Ambassador from Mercury.”

Because the delegates were arranged counterclockwise in order of distance from the Sun, the Hermian was on the President’s extreme right. Up to the very last minute he had been interfacing with his computer; now he removed the synchronizing spectacles that allowed no one else to read the message on the display screen. He picked up his sheaf of notes and rose briskly to his feet.

“Mr. President, distinguished fellow delegates, I would like to begin with a brief summary of the situation which now confronts us.”

From some delegates, that phrase “a brief summary” would have evoked silent groans from all listeners; but everyone knew that Hermians meant exactly what they said.

“The giant spaceship or artificial asteroid which has been christened Rama was detected over a year ago, in the region beyond Jupiter. At first it was believed to be a natural body, moving on a hyperbolic orbit that would take it around the Sun and on to the stars.

“When its true nature was discovered, the Solar Survey vessel Endeavour was ordered to rendezvous with it. I am sure we will all want to congratulate