"Why not? It's the human way of settling things."
"We love these kids, Peter."
"But love them or not, they'll all die eventually. No, I think you would have been content to let them work it out, if you thought it would work. If you thought one of them would emerge triumphant. What you couldn't stand was the knowledge that they were so evenly matched that none of them would win. They'd use up the resources of Earth, all that surplus population, and still there'd be no clear winner."
"That wouldn't help anything," said Rackham.
"So if you could have found a cure for Bean's condition, you wouldn't need me. Because Bean could do it. He could defeat the others. He could unite the world. Because he's so much better than they are."
"But he's going to die," said Rackham.
"And you love him," said Peter. "So you're going to try to save his life."
"We want him to help you win first."
"That's not possible," said Peter. "Not in the time he has left."
"By 'win,'" said Rackham, "I mean, we want him to help you get into a position where your victory is inevitable, given your abilities. Right now, you could be stopped by all kinds of chance events. Having Bean inc
reases your power and influence. Another thing that would help is if we could get the rest of the Jeesh off this planet. If we've removed from the board all the pieces that could challenge you--if, in effect, you're the queen in a game of knights and bishops--then you won't need Bean anymore."
"I'll need somebody," said Peter. "I'm not trained for war the way these Battle School kids were. And as you said, I'm not the kind of guy that soldiers want to die for."
Rackham leaned forward. "Peter, tell us what you're planning."
"I'm not planning anything," said Peter. "I'm simply waiting. When I met Virlomi, I realized that she was the key to everything. She's volatile, she's powerful, and she's drunk. I knew that she'd do something destabilizing. Something that would break things apart."
"So you think the war between India and China will happen? And that Alai's Muslim League will be drawn into it?"
"That's possible," said Peter. "I hope it won't happen."
"But if it does, you'll be poised to attack Alai when his forces are tied up fighting China."
"No," said Peter.
"No?"
"We're not going to attack anybody," he said.
"Then...what?" said Rackham. "Whoever emerges from that war--"
"I don't think that war's going to amount to much," said Peter, "if it happens at all. But if it does happen, then both sides will be weakened by it. There's no shortage of ambitious nations ready to step in and pick up the pieces."
"So what do you think is going to happen?"
"I don't know," said Peter. "I wish you'd believe me. There's only one thing I'm sure of. Alai's and Virlomi's marriage is doomed. And if you want either or both of them to command any of your precious colonies, you'd better make sure you're ready to get them off planet fast."
"Are you planning something?" asked Rackham.
"No! Aren't you listening? I'm watching the whole damn thing just like you are! I've already played my cards--making the Muslim leadership suspicious of my intentions. Provoking them. Plus a little quiet diplomacy."
"With whom?"
"With Russia," said Peter.
"You're trying to get them to join with you in attacking Alai? Or China?"
"No, no, no," said Peter. "If I tried anything like that, word would get out, and then what Muslim nation would ever, ever join the FPE?"