"Its at a locus where changes can involve literally dozens of disease states, Your Grace," she simplified. "Many of those diseases are lethal, and others can cause disorders of sex determination. We know a lot more about sex differentiation than whoever whipped up your survival modification did, but we still dislike meddling with it, and particularly in this area. Theres a lot of room for small errors to have large consequences, and even if we avoid the more dangerous disease states, the Beowulf Code specifically prohibits genetic manipulation in order to predetermine the sex of a child." She grimaced. "There were some very unpleasantand shamefulepisodes relating to that in the first and second centuries Ante Diaspora, and Im afraid theyve been repeated from time to time on some of the more backward colony worlds since. Nonetheless, I think I could probably at least ameliorate the situation. But whatever I do, it will take time to perfect the methodology... and probably result in at least some decreased fertility among your planets male population."
"I see," he said again, and switched his eyes to the holo image above the coffee table once more. "Have you spoken to the Swords health authorities about this yet, My Lady?" he asked.
"Not yet," Allison admitted. "I wanted to be certain of my data before I did, and then your visit to Harrington gave me the opportunity to speak to you first. Given the role your Church plays in the day-to-day life of Grayson, I thought it might be wiser to speak to you first."
"Obviously Father Church will have to address the issue," Sullivan agreed, "but we who serve him have learned bitter lessons about meddling in secular affairs. I believe you should draw this to the Swords attention as soon as convenient, My Lady. If my offices can be of assistance to you in this, please tell me."
"I appreciate the offer, Your Grace, but I have the channels to take care of that myself."
"Good. And if I may offer one bit of adviceor, perhaps, make a request?"
"Certainly you may, Your Grace," Allison said. Of course, I dont have to follow the advice if it violates my own professional oaths, she thought, bracing herself for some last-minute swerve towards suppression of her findings.
"This information must be made public, and the sooner the better," he said firmly, "yet it would be wiser, I think, to allow the Sword to make the announcement." She cocked her head at him, and he twitched his shoulders with a small, apologetic smile. "You remain a woman, a foreigner, andif you will forgive the terman infidel. We learned from your daughter that those were not necessarily bad things, yet some of our people, especially the more conservative, remain uneasy with the notion of women in positions of authority. Including, alas, myself from time to time. I wrestle with it in prayer, and with the Comforters aid, I feel I have made some progress, yet I had hoped that Lady Harrington would"
He broke off, his expression sad, and Allison felt a brief, terrible stab of hurt deep down inside. "I had hoped Lady Harrington would live long enough to change our minds," she completed the thought for him, and felt her eyes sting. Well, she didnt. But that doesnt mean other people cant pick up the torch for her, and I can damned well be one of them! Howard Clinkscales request flickered in the back of her mind as the thought flashed past, but she only looked at Sullivan and nodded.
"I know, Your Grace." Her voice was just a bit husky. Then she inhaled deeply. "And I understand. I have no problem with allowing Protector Benjamins people to make the announcement. Besides, theres no huge rush about thisyour planet has survived for the next best thing to a thousand years with the problem, and Im nowhere near devising a corrective procedure that Id feel comfortable recommending, anyway. Better to go through channels and possibly even give the Sword a little while to consider the best way to go public... and what position the Protector should take when it hits the faxes."
"That was very much my own thought," Sullivan told her. "Nonetheless, I also believe Ill personally suggest to the Protector that you should be presentand clearly credited with the discoverywhen the announcement is made."
"You will?" Allison blinked in surprise, and he shrugged.
"My Lady, you did discover it, and you and the clinic your daughter endowed will undoubtedly take the lead in devising any corrective procedure which may be found. Besides, if were ever to overcome that foreign and female problem among our more mulish people," he smiled and flicked one finger briefly at his own chest, "then we dare not miss an opportunity such as this."
"I see." Allison considered him with fresh thoughtfulness. Reverend Sullivan was not only less comfortable with the changes in his society, on a personal level, than his predecessor had been; he was also aware that he was. His faith and his intellect impelled him to accept and support them, but a part of him longed for the stability and comfortably defined roles of the planet on which he had been raised, and that part resisted his own duty to help demolish those definitions. Which made his last suggestion even more impressive, and she felt a deep, warm rush of affection for him.
"Thank you, Your Grace. I appreciate the suggestionand the thought."
"You are more than welcome, My Lady," he told her, setting his teacup aside and rising as she came to her feet, switched off the holo projector, and tucked it back into her briefcase. "But no thanks are necessary," he continued, once more capturing her hand to escort her back to the door. "This planet, and all the people on it, are far too deeply in debt to the Harrington family, and especially to the really remarkable women of that name, for that."
Allison blushed, and he chuckled delightedly, then paused as they reached the door. He bent over her hand and kissed it gallantly, and then opened the door for her.
"Farewell, Lady Harrington. May the Tester, the Intercessor, and the Comforter be with you and your husband and bring you peace."
He bowed once more, and she gave his hand a squeeze of thanks and stepped through the door. It closed quietly behind her.
Chapter Seven
The sentries at Harrington Houses East Portico snapped to attention with even greater than usual precision as the luxury ground car purred through the domes main vehicle entrance. A small pennona triangle of maroon and gold bearing the opened Bible and crossed swords that were the Protectors emblem, starched-stiff in the wind of its passageflew from a fender-mounted staff, and two-man grav sleds hovered watchfully above it. Further up, out of sight from the ground, sleek transatmospheric craft kept equally attentive watch, and teams of crack marksmensome in Mayhew maroon-and-gold, and some in Harrington Steadings green-on-greenstood unobtrusively on vantage points on Harrington Houses roof and dome catwalks while sophisticated electronic devices scanned the grounds ceaselessly.
It all seemed just a trifle much to Allison Harrington. She knew about the security features built into Harrington House, and shed gotten used to the notion that Harrington Steadings armsmen insisted on watching over her and her husband, although she was devoutly thankful that they were less intrusive about it than they had been about guarding poor Honor. More to the point, she supposed, shed anticipated some of this in advance, given the nature of the occasion. Even if she hadnt, Miranda LaFollets expression when she suggested it would have offered ample warning. Miranda continued to function as Harrington Steading chief of staff, so it was she who had been responsible for issuing the actual invitation, and shed shown more than a little trepidation at the prospect. Allison had been confident that the invitees would accept, and shed been right. But if shed realized a simple supper invitation was going to put the equivalent of what seemed like a full Marine brigade on alert, she probably wouldnt have had the nerve to issue it in the first place.