Read Online Haze and the Hammer of Darkness by L. E. Modesitt Jr. - Free Book Online

wall seat and gestured for Roget to take the seat across from her. He eased his small pack off his back, then settled into the seat, expecting it to be excessively firm, if not hard, since it looked to be the same material as the walls and flooring. Surprisingly, the seat was yielding and comfortable. His pack went between his legs.
    The platform door closed, leaving a wall as blank as the one facing it.
    â€œThat’s a great deal of wasted space.” Roget pointed to the open area between the doors.
    â€œThat’s where large packs, luggage, and sometimes freight get placed. There are concealed and recessed tie-downs.”
    The acceleration of the subtrans was gentle but continued for a time.
    â€œAir travel? Expectations?” pressed Roget.
    â€œOh … that. Letting people travel by air creates a whole host of expectations. One expectation is the feeling that they ought to be able to go when they wish and exactly where they want. After all, there’s nothing like a maglev tunnel or the obvious limitations of one train at a time to reinforce the idea that not all things are possible. The expectations are even higher for those with resources and power, especially if the society allows them private aircraft of some sort. They believe their time is more valuable; they’re more important. That reinforces the feeling that anything can be bought, regardless of the cost to others.”
    â€œThat sounds like old-style socialism, even communism.”
    Lyvia shook her head. “We’re very capitalistic, extremely so. We just price things at their total value. We don’t allow people to buy privileges at the cost of other people’s health or future, or life expectancy. Those are real costs. Most so-called market systems don’t include them.” She smiled. “At least, they haven’t in the past. We don’t always either, but we keep trying.”
    Roget didn’t believe a word. “What about other expectations?”
    â€œThere’s the expectation that immediate travel at comparatively low costs is a right, rather than a costly privilege. There’s also the expectation that personal freedom of movement is a right, regardless of what it costs others.”
    Roget decided that he was getting nowhere. “Where are we headed?”
    â€œTo Skeptos, of course. It’s the capital. Isn’t that where you wanted to go? To find out our weaknesses?” Lyvia smiled warmly.

 
    8
    17 LIANYU 6744 F. E.
    By the time Roget arrived at the FSS on Friday, his first four days on the job had given him a very good understanding of the routine of an E&W monitor in St. George. Immediately after reporting each morning, he went over the status reports and reviewed all the anomalies reported by the system. Then he’d set up a preliminary prioritization of the anomalies, with recommended observation points. He’d offer those to Sung. Once the head monitor had approved his plan for the day, Roget was free to head out with his portable official E&W monitor. The monitor held all the data for the day. That way, no one could hack or razor transmissions because there weren’t any, and it kept down unnecessary energy usage.
    Unless there happened to be an urgent surge in excess energy or water usage, Roget was free to arrange his observations to minimize his travel time. Since he was limited to public transport and his feet, he’d learned after the third day to be most careful in planning his route. Even so, his feet had ached by Wednesday evening, and Thursday night hadn’t been that much better.
    He actually was in the office on Friday before Sung. The anomaly list was short—four shops; two residences in the historical district—probably poor insulation or equipment that needed maintenance; and an increase in ambient temperature in the Virgin River that couldn’t be accounted for by weather or solar radiation intensity.
    The river had to come