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But from now on, I swear, I’ll do this every day…. “The first morning after my arrival, General George-that’s what everyone calls him-took me to the Embassy, which is only a few hundred meters from the hotel. Ambassador Robert Farrell apologized because he couldn’t come to the spaceport. He said, “I knew you’d be in good hands with George-he’s the world’s greatest organizer.” Then the General left us, and we had a long private talk.

“I met Bob Farrell on his last visit to Titan, three years ago, and he remembers me well-at least, he gave that impression, which I suppose is

an art all diplomats have to acquire. He was very helpful and friendly, but I got the feeling that he was sounding me out, and not telling me everything he knew. I realize that he’s in an ambiguous position, being a Terran yet having to represent our interests. One day this may cause difficulties, but I don’t know what we can do about it, since no native-born

Titanian can ever Eve on Earth…. “Luckily, there are no urgent problems, as the Hydrogen Agreement isn’t due for renegotiation until ‘80. But there were dozens of little items on my shopping list, and I left him with plenty to think about. Such as: why can’t we get quicker deliveries of equipment, can anything be done to improve shipping schedules, what went wrong with the new student exchange? and similar Galaxy-shaking questions. He promised to set up appointments for me with all the people who could straighten these things out, but I tried to hint that I wanted to spend some time looking at Earth. And after all, he’s not only our man in Washington but also our representative on

Terra…. “He seemed quite surprised when I told him that I expected to stay on Earth for almost a year, but at this stage I thought it best not to give him the main reason. I’m sure he’ll guess it quickly enough. When he tactfully asked about my budget, I explained that the Centennial Committee had been a great help, and there was still some Makenzie money in the World Bank which I was determined to use. “I understand,” he said, “Old Malcolm’s over a hundred and twenty now, isn’t he? Even on Earth, leaving as little as possible for the Community Fund to grab is a popular pastime.” Then he added, not very hopefully, that any personal balances could be legally bequeathed to the Embassy for its running expenses. I said that was a Very interesting point and I’d bear it in mind….

“He volunteered to give me any assistance on my speech, which was kind of him. When I said I was still working on it, he reminded me that it was essential to have a final draft by the end of June so that all the important commentators could study it in advance. Otherwise, it would be drowned in the flood of verbiage on July Fourth. That was a very

good point, which I hadn’t thought of; but then I said, “Won’t the other speakers do exactly the sam eT And he answered, “Of course, but

I’ve got good friends in all the media, and there’s a great interest in

Titan. You’re still intrepid pioneers at the edge of the Solar System, carving out a new civilization in the wilderness. There may not be many volunteer carvers around here, but we like to hear about such things.” By that time I felt we’d got to understand each other, and so I risked teasing him: “You mean it’s true-Earth is getting decadentT And he looked at me with a grin and answered quickly: “Oh no-we aren’t decadent.” Then he paused, and added: “But the next generation will be.” I wonder how far he was joking…. “Then we talked for ten minutes about mutual friends like the Helmers and the Wongs and the Morgans and the Lees—oh, he seems to know everyone important on Titan. And finally he asked about Grandma Ellen, and I told him that she was just the same as ever, which he understood perfectly. And then George came back and took me to his farm. It was the first chance I had of seeing the open countryside I in full daylight. I’m still trying to get over it. 21

MOUNT VERNON

“Don’t take this program too seriously,” said General George Washington.

“It’s still being changed every day. But your main appointmentsI’ve marked them-aren’t going to be altered. Especially on July Fourth.”

Duncan leafed through the small brochure that the other had handed to him when they entered President Bernstein’s limousine. It was a daunting document stuffed full of Addresses and Receptions and Balls and Processions and Concerts. Nobody in the capital was going to get

much sleep during the first few 110 days in July, and Duncan felt sorry for poor President Claire Hansen.