Lucifer's Hammer - Larry Niven [230]
But in public she treated George Christopher no differently. She was a bit more friendly, but still cold. He wasn't her invisible husband ... was he? Was she different with him when they were alone? Harvey couldn't know.
These thoughts ran through his head before an old reflex pushed them down below conscious thought. He didn't have time for them. Harvey Randall wanted something, and these were the men who could refuse him. It was a familiar situation.
"Come in, Harvey." Senator Jellison had not lost the warm smile that had won him elections. "We can start now. Thank you all for coming. I thought it might be wise to get a full report on how things are here."
"Any reason for doing it now?" George Christopher asked.
Jellison's smile didn't falter. "Yes, George. Several. We have word from the telegraph that Deke Wilson's coming in for a visit. Brought some visitors, too."
"There's news from Outside?" Mayor Seitz asked.
"Some," Jellison said. "Al, would you begin, please?"
Hardy took papers from his briefcase and began to read. How many acres cleared of rocks, and how much they'd be able to plant in winter wheat. Livestock inventory. Weapons, and equipment. Most of the people in the room looked bored before Hardy finished. "The upshot is," Hardy said, "that we'll make it through the winter. With luck."
That got their interest.
"It'll be close," Hardy warned. "We'll get damned hungry before spring. But we've got a chance. We've even got medical supplies—not enough, but some—and Doc Valdemar's clinic is set up and running." Hardy paused for a moment. "Now for the bad news. Harvey Randall's people have been looking over the dams and powerhouses above here. They can't get them working again. Too much washed out. And out of the lists of stuff the engineering people have asked for, we don't have a quarter of the supplies. It'll be a while before we rebuild much of a civilization here."
"Hell, we're civilized," Police Chief Hartman said. "Almost no crime, and we'll have enough to eat, and we've got a doctor and a clinic and most of us have plumbing. What more do we need?"
"Electricity would be nice," Harvey Randall said.
"Sure, but we can live without it," Chief Hartman said. "Goddam. We can live till spring."
And Harvey felt his joy. The journey to the Stronghold had been a terrible time: the end of the world passing in endless agony … and goddam! Listen to us now, talking like it isn't enough just to be alive! I could have been turned away, sent down the road …
"I think I would express thanks in a more positive way," Reverend Varley said. "We should be singing hosannas." The minister's expression was grim, in contrast to his words. "Of course the cost has been high. Perhaps, Chief, you have said it correctly after all—"
Senator Jellison cleared his throat to get their attention. The room fell silent.
"There's a bit more news," Jellison said. "We have a new claimant to the office of President of the United States. Hector Shorey."
"Who the devil is Hector Shorey?" George Christopher demanded.
"Speaker of the House. Newly selected by the party caucus. I don't even remember the House taking a formal vote. Still, his claim is the best we've heard, and the Colorado Springs government at least talks like it's still in charge of the country."
"I could do that myself," Christopher said.
The Senator laughed. "No, George, you couldn't. I could."
"Who cares?" George Christopher was belligerent. "They can't help us and they can't jail us. They'd have to fight their way through all the other United States Governments, and even then they can't get to us. Why do we give a damn what they say?"
Al Hardy said, "I point out that Colorado Springs probably has the largest military detachment surviving in this part of the world. The cadets at the Academy. The NORAD—North American Air Defense—command under Cheyenne Mountain. Ent Air Force Base. And at least a regiment of mountain troops."
"They still can't get to us," Christopher insisted.