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“Park them a safe distance away, and have our transports pick theree to that”

“So let’s find out what they will agree to”

Avasarala quietly stood up and headed for the door Her personal assistant—a European boy named Soren Cottwald—detached hienerals pretended not to notice her exit, or maybe they were so wrapped up in the new set of problems she’d handed them, they really didn’t Either way, she was sure they were as pleased to have her out as she was to leave

The hallways of the United Nations coue were clean and wide, the décor a soft style that uese colonies in the 1940s She paused at an organics recycling unit and started digging the shells out of her bag

“What’s next?” she asked

“Debriefing with Mr Errinwright”

“After that?”

“Meeston Gravis about the Afghanistan problem”

“Cancel it”

“What should I tell him?”

Avasarala dusted her hands over the waste container, then turned, walking briskly toward the central commons and the elevators

“Fuck hi external rule since before ure out how to change that, I’ll let him know”

“Yes, ma’am”

“I also need an updated suet another PhD to read it, so if it’s not in clear, concise language, fire the sonofabitch and get someone who knorite”

“Yes, ma’a roolittered like spun diah to seat dinner for four It recognized theh the levels Outside the s of the coe anthill of buildings that was the Hague spread out under a perfect blue sky It was springtime, and the snow that had touched the city since Deceeons swirled up from the streets far below There were thirty billion people on the planet, but they would never crowd out the pigeons

“They’re all fking enerals They’re all fking ht Souther was the only—”

“I don’t mean that they all fkhas it been since a woe of the armed forces? Not since I came here So instead, ind up with another example of what happens to policy when there’s too much testosterone in the room That reminds me: Get in touch with Annette Rabbir in infrastructure I don’t trust Nguyen If traffic starts going up between hieneral assembly, I want to know it”

Soren cleared his throat

“Excuse uyen?”