Chapter 54

Helen was quick to spot a solution. "Let's refer it to the colony authorities. They have access to all the scientists on the planet, so they should be able to get the right people on the job. The results will be of interest to the Colony authorities, especially if we can identify potential woods for future use.

The forests on Rehome are mostly protected, for whatever reason, and so most wood has to be imported. It mostly comes from Earth at the moment, but once New Eden gets access to the forested land outside their crater, wood supplies will mostly come from there. The last I heard from my husband, the tunnel project on New Eden was nearing completion, and about ready for rail tracks to be laid."

Mia and Mya were not so certain. Mya opined, "Taking scientists off other work is not likely to endear us to them. What we really need is university students, preferably forestry students, to study the wood samples and associated data."

Mia was downbeat. "Great idea, but we don't have a university on Rehome yet. The colony is not far enough developed to establish a university. Remember, we asked about finishing our degrees here?" She got mumbled agreement to that.

Helen had an idea. "Students from Earth were used as a research team on new planets, to discover whether the planet was suitable for a colony. I used to be one of them. It worked well, once the Earth authorities were dissuaded from interfering with the students' activities. I can ask Bob if something of that nature could be fixed up."

Robert encouraged her. "Do that, please, Helen. I know I should be the one doing that, having no geology to examine, but you are in the right spot to catch his ear."

That night, after dinner, Helen explained the situation to Bob. "So that is why we are asking you to obtain the services of a number of Forestry students to examine our samples from the new planet."

The Governor thought it over, enquiring, "Are all the samples in sealed containers, to protect the outside world from infections and invasion by inimical insects?"

Helen put her hand to her mouth. "Oh, I don't know. The Personalia simply delivered them, and we haven't looked at them as there was too much material. I know that the separate insect and other animal life is in sealed capsules, but I don't know about the wood."

"We had better establish the facts first, before we consider anything else," said her husband. "I would have thought that you and the others would have considered that, as recent graduates." He fished out his phone and connected to The Personalia.

"Hello. This is Governor Kempe. The wood samples just delivered to Rehome from the new planet: Are they in sealed containers?"

The Personalia voice sounded peeved. "Of course, Governor. The transfer of material from one planet to another cannot be done safely without such protective measures. We attend to this automatically. Each vegetative sample is enclosed in a tough plastic coating, impervious to all expected chemical and physical attacks from insects, fungi and chemicals within the wood. The animal life is similarly sealed, and kept in a lowered temperature to prevent any living organism from trying to escape."

"Thank you. That is what I expected, and I am grateful for the information. What we are considering is using forestry students at universities on Earth, to examine the wood samples you have provided. I have slight concerns about possible tampering with these. The authorities on Earth are inclined to be non-cooperative with us at times. Any comments from you on that consideration?"

The Personalia were not stupid, having observed past examples of such interference. "One approach may be for us to copy the originals, and supply the copies to Earth. That way, any information obtained from Earth that is suspect can be compared to the originals."

"Clever. Yes, please. Let's do that. Can we simply load all the samples back into the next Landership to arrive here? Should we do the same with the non-wood samples, in anticipation of a similar process for examining these?"

"That would be sensible. Please reload all the samples into the Landership we shall send down to you. It will announce its presence and purpose when it gets there. Anticipated time of arrival: two and a half hours from now."

"We will make sure all is ready. By the way, how many wood samples are there? That data will assist me in making arrangements with the universities."

"Five hundred and sixty-three distinct wood samples have been provided. Do you wish the accompanying data to include the abundance of each species of tree. We suspect that you may not wish that data to be freely available."

"By God, yes. That is a point. Please remove that data from the sample copies to be sent to Earth."

Helen looked at Bob. "Why would you remove that data, Bob?"

"Economics, my dear girl. If Earth was aware of how common particular tree species were, they would be expecting to pay less for that wood than for other woods. If they don't know the relative abundances of woods, we are the ones who dictate the price, not them. The price should be based on utility, its usefulness, not its rarity or otherwise."

"Thank you, dear. I now see your point. You don't trust Earth at all, do you?"

"Not the political authorities, Helen. Ordinary folk are fine, but the people in power always think in power terms."

Helen frowned. "But YOU are in power, here, darling. You don't think in such terms."

"No, I don't, but I have never sought power. It was thrust upon me, partly at the instigation of my beloved Diane, and I do my damnedest to not misuse that power, in case I disappoint her. I never want to do that to her, ever. If I should happen to do something stupid, it is by accident, not design. Earth has experts in that kind of stupidity. You know Ebenezer de la Torre, or at least heard of him? He used to work for the United Nations. He can tell you how political decisions come to be made there: it is not a pretty tale."

"So that's why you do not trust the Earth authorities to behave rationally?"

"In a nutshell, yes. Rationally, to them, means what is best for Earth and its power structures, and that alone. Even the ones who want to do good, are constrained by the political power of the others, and so their attempts at more rational decisions are rendered ineffectual."

Euphemia de la Torre was doing her morning exercises as prescribed by the doctor when her phone sounded. She dragged her body off the bed and picked up the phone. "Yes?"

"Euphemia?"

"Mummy? What brings you to make a call?"

"I was fretting, my dear, about your need for financing, so I asked around. An old friend of your father's used to work for a bank, so I spoke to him about your problem. He was ever so nice, and took all the information I had, and promised to get back to me.

It took him a while, but he called me yesterday. It sounded terribly complicated, but he said the bank could advance you up to a hundred thousand pounds, provided they had a lien on your farm, whatever a lien is. The interest rate would be quite high as well, due to your farm being on an other planet. That caused them no end of concern, working out how the could foreclose if you defaulted. It seems they are still not certain that they CAN foreclose; it is something to do with a lack of clarity over real estate law. Mostly, it appears, Rehome does not HAVE proper land law. What exists seems to be aimed at helping the land owner to keep his property, instead of allowing a debtor to foreclose.

He waffled on about the problems, saying that the bank will not promise definitely to advance the cash until they sort that out, but at least there is a possibility of you laying hands on some investment capital."

Euphemia was amazed at her mother's efforts to restore their relationship. "Mummy, you are a dear, and I thank you for your wonderful efforts, but we have managed to find an investor here. They are willing to put up two hundred thousand dollars as an investment, for a share of the new business, so the cash flow difficulty has now been relieved."

"That is marvellous, Effie! Oh, dear. That means my attempts to help were not required, after all. And that means ... oh, I don't know how to say this, Effie..."

"What, Mummy?"

"Daddy's friend told me things about the Rehome colony that I had no idea about, dear. After all, I did not have any interest in an off-planet colony, did I? Anyway, he told me that it doesn't cost a lot to travel to Rehome; just the cost of getting to the take-off site; and apparently it is a lot simpler than what the old astronauts had to put up with. Even old folk can travel, you see..."

"Mummy! You want to come and visit? How marvellous!"

"Euphemia, dear, I was thinking that a visit, if it was successful, might be the precursor to coming on a permanent basis ... if it was going to be all right with you." She rushed on before Euphemia could speak. "I don't want you to imagine that I am asking you to look after me. If I am allowed to stay at your farm, I can sell the house here and so give you some more capital for your business, and I would be around to see my grandchild grow up."

Euphemia was a clever woman, and could see through her mother's thought processes. "Mummy, I realise that, having discovered how expensive nursing homes can be, you can see the value of being with family as you get older; but I agree with you. I believe children benefit by having grandparents around to teach them social skills, and more importantly, to offer them loving care. I think we may have a deal, Mummy.

I must have a word with Ebenezer before I say yes, but I do not anticipate any negative vibes. I shall ring you back as soon as I can, Mummy."

"Thank you, Effie. It will be nice if you can do that. Bye."

Euphemia sought out Ebenezer, and found him in the kitchen, getting in Isabella's way by standing behind her and fondling her breasts. Euphemia saw what was needed. "Ebenezer! Unhand that woman, and pay attention to me!"

He released Isabella, who gave an appreciate smile to Euphemia and went back to her breadmaking activities. He asked, "What was it you wanted, Effie darling?"

"Mummy wants to come visit us, and if she and we can get on well, she may want to stay permanently. Can I say yes?"

"This is a change of tune, isn't it? Do we really want an old woman here, though?"

"Old woman? She is only fifty-five! Ebenezer, if your mother wanted to come here, would you refuse her? I see her as a useful grandparent for our children. Grandparents do have value you know, apart from being our own parents. They usually get on well with their grandchildren, so make excellent free babysitters; they normally add to the kitchen staffing, bringing their own tried and tested recipes for good food, and most of all they show the children love, and how to love in return."