The New Second Stage
"You remember what Mentor said don't you, sis by 4?"
"Kit! How could we forget?" They chorused.
"Let's see," said Kay. "...Think nothing of a few years of vacancy. The Lensmakers, as you know, are fully automatic, requiring neither maintenance nor attention; what little time you may wish to devote to the special training of selected Lensmen can be taken at odd moments from your serious work of developing yourselves for Guardianship..."
"..and all good Guardians need a holiday," added her twin.
"We like how you think, Kat," came the doubled answer from Cam and Con. "We've been doing this for a long time now."
"That's for sure," said Kit. "When they come out with a 'New' term, then that is a dead giveaway--So, about those fill-ins to mind the Galaxies for us? Con, how about you go first? What about Moriarty?"
"Too green. Mine is easy. MacLeod. He's sneaky and twisty enough, no problem.""
"Good. Kay, how does Weber appeal?"
"No, he's too valuable scaring the hell out of the Cadets. Asher's my man, if you need a cold, hard, field decision."
"Cam, you next then. Williams?"
"Professed a recent preference for the Humanities and the boffin life," she smirked.
"Ouch."
"Stross?"
"Not dedicated enough to the job," she answered. "Likes his toys and variety too much. If you want the man that can keep track of three Galactic Empires before breakfast and still give you a five sigma limit estimate of tomato tonnage en route to Mars, then you have to choose Hamilton."
Kit thought for a couple of seconds. "Kat, who is your fourth, then? Baxter?"
"He's much more of a big picture guy. Bujold's gone pastoral, too. Leave them where they are. This one's easy. Reynolds is the man with a plan for the men."
"Speaking of men, girls, that is all we have. One more?"
"Asaro!" Was the four-way unanimous response.
"Right then. Everyone packed? Garrett has lined us up Backstage passes for tonight."
He was hard pressed to keep from being bowled over in the four way auburn-haired rush.
"Kit! How could we forget?" They chorused.
"Let's see," said Kay. "...Think nothing of a few years of vacancy. The Lensmakers, as you know, are fully automatic, requiring neither maintenance nor attention; what little time you may wish to devote to the special training of selected Lensmen can be taken at odd moments from your serious work of developing yourselves for Guardianship..."
"..and all good Guardians need a holiday," added her twin.
"We like how you think, Kat," came the doubled answer from Cam and Con. "We've been doing this for a long time now."
"That's for sure," said Kit. "When they come out with a 'New' term, then that is a dead giveaway--So, about those fill-ins to mind the Galaxies for us? Con, how about you go first? What about Moriarty?"
"Too green. Mine is easy. MacLeod. He's sneaky and twisty enough, no problem.""
"Good. Kay, how does Weber appeal?"
"No, he's too valuable scaring the hell out of the Cadets. Asher's my man, if you need a cold, hard, field decision."
"Cam, you next then. Williams?"
"Professed a recent preference for the Humanities and the boffin life," she smirked.
"Ouch."
"Stross?"
"Not dedicated enough to the job," she answered. "Likes his toys and variety too much. If you want the man that can keep track of three Galactic Empires before breakfast and still give you a five sigma limit estimate of tomato tonnage en route to Mars, then you have to choose Hamilton."
Kit thought for a couple of seconds. "Kat, who is your fourth, then? Baxter?"
"He's much more of a big picture guy. Bujold's gone pastoral, too. Leave them where they are. This one's easy. Reynolds is the man with a plan for the men."
"Speaking of men, girls, that is all we have. One more?"
"Asaro!" Was the four-way unanimous response.
"Right then. Everyone packed? Garrett has lined us up Backstage passes for tonight."
He was hard pressed to keep from being bowled over in the four way auburn-haired rush.