she and Zdorab stood up at the end of the meeting, accepting Elemak's authority to dismiss it? It was worth hearing what she had to say.
So he ushered her in and let her sit down at the table, along with Meb, Obring, and Vas. Then, when she was seated, Elemak sat across from her and waited. Let her speak first, and thus let him know what to expect from her.
"Everyone advised me against coming to you," she said. "But I think they underestimate you, Elemak."
"They have before," said Elemak.
Meb chuckled. That annoyed Elemak - he wasn't sure whether Meb was laughing at them for having underestimated Elemak, or laughing at Elemak for making such a claim. One was never sure, with Meb, whom he was mocking. Only that he was mocking somebody.
"There are some important things that you seem not to understand," said Shedemei. "And I think you need to know everything in order to make wise decisions."
Ah. So she was here to teach him about "reality." Well, it was worth listening, if only so he could better plan how to undercut her position at the next meeting. He nodded for her to continue.
"This isn't a conspiracy to take authority away from you."
Right, thought Elemak. You start out by denying it, and you've as good as confirmed to me that that's exactly what's going on.
"Most of us know that you're the natural leader of this group, and with some exceptions, we're content with it."
Oh, yes. "Some" exceptions indeed.
"And the exceptions are more among your followers than you imagine. Here at this table there is more hatred and jealousy of you than has ever been found among those who gather in the Index House."
"Enough of that," said Elemak. "If you came here to try to sow distrust among those of us who are trying to protect our families from the meddlers, then you can leave now."
Shedemei shrugged. "I've said it, you've heard it, I care little what you do with the information. But here's the fact: The only person you're fighting right now is the Oversoul."
Meb hooted once. Shedemei ignored him.
"The Oversoul has at last got access to the starships. It's going to take a massive effort by all of us to cannibalize five of the ships to make one ship ready to fly. But it's going to be done, whether you approve or not. The Oversoul is hardly going to let you block her now, when she's come so far."
Elemak heard with amusement the way Shedemei persisted in referring to the inanimate computer as if it were a woman.
"When Nafai returns, he's going to be wearing the starmaster's cloak. It's a device that links him almost perfectly to the memory of the Oversoul. He's going to know far more about you than you know about yourself, do you understand me? And there are other powers that come along with the cloak - a focus of energy, for one thing, that makes the pulse look like a toy."
"Is this a threat?" asked Elemak.
"I'm telling you the simple truth. The Oversoul chose Nafai because he has the intelligence to pilot the ship, the loyalty to serve the Oversoul's cause well, and the strength of will that broke down a supposedly impenetrable barrier and allowed the expedition to continue. Not because Nafai was conspiring against you. If you had ever shown a scrap of loyalty to the Oversoul's cause, she might have chosen you."
"Do you think pathetic flattery like this will move me?"
"I'm not flattering you," said Shedemei. "I already said - we know you're the born leader of this company. But you've chosen not to be the leader of the Oversoul's expedition. That was your own choice, freely made. So when it comes down to it, when you realize that you have lost the leadership of this group forever, you can blame no one but yourself."
He felt anger growing within him.
"Nor would you have been the second choice," said Shedemei. "There was some doubt that Nafai would accept the cloak - for the very reason that he knew you would reject his leadership. At that point the Oversoul made her second choice. She asked me whether I would accept the burden of leadership. She explained to me more about what the cloak does and how it works than she even explained to Nafai, though by now he undoubtedly knows all. I accepted the offer. If it hadn't been Nafai, it would have been me. Not you, Elemak. You did not miss this