The End of All Things: The Fourth Instalment by John Scalzi Page B

not for the Conclave’s protection. It’s for yours. From us.”
    “I understand.”
    “Good,” Sorvalh said. “Finally, the same non-aggression pact and full diplomatic and trade relations between Earth and the Colonial Union. Because while for now I don’t want you two merging back together, you entirely separated will always be a danger to the Conclave. For better or worse, for all our sakes, this division of humanity has to come to an end.”
    “It’s a three-way stalemate,” Oi observed.
    “It’s perfect,” I said.
    “It might be,” Sorvalh said. “Thus are we all bound to each other in a mutual agreement to leave each other alone, while still keeping open actual lines of communication and commerce.”
    “It’s a nice thought, Premier,” Oi said. “There’s just one problem.”
    “Everyone who is not in this room,” Abumwe said.
    “Yes,” Oi agreed. “You said, Premier, that the more people involved, the longer things will take. This set of agreements will involve everyone . You’re never going to get such a treaty through the Grand Assembly. And I doubt that Ambassador Abumwe will get sign-off from her people. And as for Ambassador Lowen, well. Earth doesn’t even have a functional global government. She literally can’t make an agreement that the entire planet will abide. This won’t get done.”
    “Fine,” Sorvalh said. “Then we don’t let anyone outside this room have a vote.”
    “They won’t like that,” Oi said.
    “Your head of intelligence is understating the case,” I added.
    “I don’t care,” Sorvalh said. “Everyone in this room understands this is a thing that should be done. We are all agreed to this. Yes?”
    Abumwe and Lowen nodded.
    “Then let’s call it done,” Sorvalh said.
    “It’s an imperial action,” Oi warned.
    “No,” I said. “It’s an opportunistic one.” I turned to Lowen. “The Louisiana Purchase.”
    “You’re speaking gibberish,” Lowen said.
    “Go with me here,” I said, and looked at Sorvalh. “Back on Earth, a long time ago, a U.S. president named Thomas Jefferson was offered a deal on territory that would more than double the size of his country. The Louisiana Purchase. Technically speaking, he wasn’t empowered to accept the deal—the U.S. Constitution was ambiguous about whether the president could authorize the purchase. But he did it anyway. Because it doubled the size of the country, and then what was Congress going to do? Give it back?”
    “We’re not buying land, Lieutenant,” Abumwe pointed out.
    “No, but you’re buying something else: peace,” I said. “And you’re buying it by mutually acting against Equilibrium, which exists to bring the end of the Conclave and the Colonial Union, and is planning immediate harm to Earth, with immediate consequences for the Conclave and the Colonial Union. So don’t wait. Premier Sorvalh is right. Agree to terms here and now and present it as a fait accompli. Then get everyone busy with punching Equilibrium in the throat. We stand or fall together on this one. I prefer to stand.”
    “By the time it’s all done, it’s too late to go back,” Oi said. “There’s a new normal.”
    “It’s not a bad idea.”
    “It’s a terrible idea,” Oi said. “It just has the advantage of being better than the other option.”
    “Is that your assessment as my head of intelligence?” Sorvalh asked Oi.
    “My assessment as your head of intelligence is that the Colonial Union has consistently shown itself to be the greatest single threat to the Conclave, and Earth isn’t much better,” Oi said. “If you have an opportunity to take them out of your equation, then do it. If it means presenting this as a done deal that isn’t able to be taken back, do it. You’ll get pushback and criticism for it. But you may still have the goodwill of the Grand Assembly for holding the Conclave together.”
    “Oi, will this work?”
    “You’re the premier of the Conclave, madam,” Oi