posted 08-01-99 01:43 PM ET        

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The Web of Man

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��The University of Planet is at a crossroads, with but two options open to it. One possibility is that it fulfills our darkest predictions, despite its democracy, and develops into a society with an intellectual elite supported by a non-voting underclass of laborers whose needs and desires are ignored and whose rights are viciously abused. Alternatively, the University may fulfill its brightest potential and become a society that is open, not only to the exchange of knowledge, but also to improvements in the lives of all its members. Unfortunately, it is my belief that, left to its own devices, the University will follow the former path rather than the latter��

Commissioner Pravin Lal,
�Report on Human Rights�

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Anna Galliani�s eyes were closed as she bit into the succulent flesh, as the sweet liquid oozed down her chin. She tried effortlessly to savor the deliciousness of the delightfully ungodly food, food that had such a texture that it was veritably drinkable.
She opened her eyes as her bite of peach flowed down her throat. �That is miraculous.�
Vasily Novi smiled. �Contrary to what you have been taught, the fruits of the Earth were not perfected by God. These peaches are genetic engineering at its finest.�
Anna did not smile, but rather she sighed in contemplation. If, just a few months ago, she had known of what would happen to her, she probably would have committed suicide or taken some other drastic measure to avoid her fate. How fast things had changed. She closed her eyes again, not only as she resumed her consumption of the fruit, but also as she lost herself in reflection over the past few weeks, over the people she had lost�

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�Anna! It�s so good to see you again,� Anna�s cousin gleamed as she put the ancient book she had been reading down onto the delicately carved, very expensive, wooden table. They hugged as soon as she was standing. �Oh, it has been so hectic lately � seeing you is such a blessing!�
�I know!� Anna laughed. �I was so fortunate to return this early. We managed to isolate samples of the virus much more easily than we had previously anticipated. It turned out to be merely a new variation of the old Prometheus virus, and so treatment was most straightforward.�
�Yes, I�ve received the reports, and I was so relieved. But enough about work. I�ve decided to take today and tomorrow off, so we�ll have plenty of time to catch up. Look, I know of a terrific little caf� where we can go and no one will bother us. Oh, Anna, your being here is such a joy!�

A number of minutes later, after a nice walk from their residential dome and through a few corridors, the two cousins sat themselves down in an �open air� caf�. They consulted with a youthful waiter, said a short but thoughtful prayer, and then began their brunch.
�Oh, Anna, whatever we talk about, let�s not talk about work. These two days I have are for nothing but relaxation.�
�Of course, Miriam��

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posted 08-01-99 08:33 PM ET            

Susan Chang sat as requested, happy to see the Commissioner once again. The fact that he had summoned her to his office meant that she was going to be sent on another mission that would have her under the scrutiny of the highest Peacekeeper officials. Although that certainly did not displease her, she was more pleased at being in UN Headquarters once again. It was true that there were few who would agree with her, but she thought that UN Headquarters was on of the most beautiful cities on Chiron. It was a� an arbor city, she thought, a city in and of trees, and this fact was most visible from Lal�s office. Perched at the top of the tallest of the Peacekeeper-style buildings, it had a magnificent view of not only the city, but also of the hills beyond the perimeter. Hills that were covered in century-old trees, in thick forests rich in the greenest foliage.

�Susan, let us go straight to the point, as we are running out of time,� Lal�s voice was filled with urgency, Chang noted, but he still maintained his kindly demeanor and used, as was his unconscious habit, her first name. �For the past half decade, humanity has been most fortunate in the fact that there have been no wars, and I have used all my powers as Planetary Governor to maintain this situation. I have been focusing much of my efforts on the Spartan Federation and the Human Hive, but now it seems that war may erupt from an unexpected sector � the University.�

Chang was taken aback by this. The University was known for its militancy, and it had always espoused, officially at least, peaceful relations with other factions.

�My agents are not clear on the details, nor do we know who or why they are going to strike. Apparently, however, Academician Zakharov and the Faculty have expended exorbitant amounts of energy credits towards an unknown undertaking or stratagem,� Lal shook his head, but whether it was in disgust or disappointment, Chang was unsure. �The Intelligence Operations Directorate is of a split opinion as to what the University is planning, and we fear the worst. The Directorate does know, however, that there has been an unusual amount of military activity in the heart of University territory, and that there has been an abnormally high investment in both exploratory forces and infantry divisions. We worry that war is in the air.�

�If war was the intention of the University, how do you explain the exploratory forces? What good would that do them?� Chang frowned.

�War may not be Zakharov�s intention � we simply do not know, and the University is unpredictable at best. We need to know what they are planning, and we have every agent available investigating this in one manner or another. Which is where you come in. You are going to infiltrate their capital and hopefully discover what all of this activity is about. You�ll confer with your superior in the Directorate this afternoon and tomorrow you should depart. All relevant information has been transferred to your personal database.� He looked, for a second, into her eyes. �Best of luck, Susan.�

Susan Chang gave her thanks, and after they said their farewells, she left Lal�s office. Lal, of course, spent some time completing the necessary Intelligence paperwork associated with Chang�s mission, but afterwards he left his office to have a scheduled informal lunch with the Resident Ambassador of the Lord�s Believers.

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�What do you mean he cancelled?� Lal admonished. The Believers were not by any means known for their politeness to non-believers, but a cancellation of an appointment, informal though it may be, was rather unusual. This was especially true given the fact that the Peacekeepers and the Believers had just recently formalized a peace treaty after years of successive uneasy truces, punctuated as they were by small eruptions of conflict.

The Believer functionary on the screen did not waver in the slightest, despite being reproached by the Planetary Governor of Chiron, arguably the highest official in existence. �I�m sorry, Commissioner, but today has been declared a factional day of mourning over the late death of a relative of Sister Godwinson. I�m surprised you didn�t already know. I probably shouldn�t even be talking with a foreigner right now. All Believer officials and dignitaries have to spend the day in prayer. I�m sorry, but that�s all.�