Roboteer by Alex Lamb Page B

smoothly. ‘It also requires faith. The Relic-makers did not have Truism, therefore greatness was never possible for them.’
    In other words, ‘greatness’ meant whatever the Prophet wanted it to. It was typical High Church hypocrisy, but it was also perhaps something Gustav could use.
    ‘That’s very interesting,’ he said. ‘A subtle point. Tell me, how would you go about clarifying an idea like that to the Following?’
    Rodriguez’s smile dropped a notch. ‘I wouldn’t. As a member of the Leading, it is our job to spare the Following from the doubt engendered by subtle thinking. As the Prophet says, simplicity is stability. That which you cannot tell a child, do not tell a mob.’
    Gustav sat back nodding, quietly annoyed. This was not a point he could openly debate without sounding like a heretic. To believe that people should know as much as their leaders was to invite accusations of being a democrat and a capitalist. The greatest lesson of the last century had been that knowledge without responsibility was a recipe for disaster. That was how terrorists were made.
    He tried a different tack. ‘But how can you possibly prevent the Following from finding out about the Relic? It’s not going away. And if the people must never know, doesn’t that leave the situation vulnerable to misinterpretation when they discover the truth? Worse still, what if they discover that the church has kept the truth from them?’
    Rodriguez shrugged. ‘Nothing in God’s universe is free. This is the price that comes with the gift of the suntap. The Leading must exercise vigilance, and self-discipline.’ He regarded Gustav levelly with small, gleaming eyes. ‘Let us not play games here, General,’ he said. ‘I’m sure Lord Khan told you my real reason for joining this mission. I am here to determine the answer to exactly that question – how is the secret of the Relic best kept?’
    Gustav folded his arms. ‘Your honesty is commendable, Father. Let me in turn tell you that, frankly, I do not see what question there is to answer. The Relic is a world-sized artefact. It cannot be hidden any better than it always has been. It cannot be guarded any more securely than it already is.’
    Rodriguez smiled cryptically. ‘Surely that is a matter of conjecture.’
    ‘Is it?’ Gustav demanded. ‘We have used the best strategic models the Kingdom has created. Increase the defences and you increase the chances of it being discovered.’
    Rodriguez waved a placatory hand. ‘I admit that the Reconsiderists have done an excellent job. I doubt any other subsect could have done better.’
    ‘Then why close the project?’
    Rodriguez’s expression became guarded. ‘There are many reasons.’
    ‘Such as?’
    ‘For a start, a string of miracles coming from a single lab would eventually raise questions. And there are radical factions among the Leading that would use such a discovery to further their own political aims.’
    ‘What string of miracles?’ Gustav asked tersely. ‘So far we’ve extracted only one blueprint.’
    The schematic for the suntap was still the most coherent piece of information they’d received from the Relic, and that was within the first week of contact. Since then, there had been a whole lot of nonsense and plenty of repeated data. Gustav, however, was still a long way from giving up.
    ‘If there are to be no more miracles, then why keep the project open?’ Rodriguez retorted.
    ‘To better protect the church, of course. If there’s one Relic, there could be thousands out there, waiting to be discovered. Surely it’s preferable to be better informed of the potential risks.’
    Rodriguez shifted uncomfortably in his chair, his expression clouding. ‘If the protection of the church is really your primary goal, then you shouldn’t mind if the head of the church takes over.’
    ‘Except that the church has already put its best scientific men in charge. If the church wishes to understand the Relic, why