Gov smiled back, but with an effort.
"Better get back to your cabin now and batten down," he said. "I
understand a Monolithian blast-off is a lot kinder to the kidneys than
anything our astronauts had to go through, but it's still no bed of
nasturtiums. The things they expect an old boy to put up with for his
country.... I'm glad I've taken my last oath of office."
I left the President settling down into his padded couch and went to my
own.
The blast-off was a short nightmare of vibration and pressure. Then
it was over. There was a moment of nauseous weightlessness before the
artificial gravity took hold and a soothing chime sounded which, we'd
been told, meant we could get up and move about normally.
My door opened and Stew Macon started to come in. He changed his mind
when he saw the British Prime Minister, the French President and the
German Chancellor go by on their way to Gov's suite. But Stew was back
soon.
"They won't talk," he said. "I didn't really think they would."
"Never mind," I told him. "I've got it all here."
"What they're going to say?"
"What they will have officially said. It's not very much."
"Let me have it now. I'll put it out under embargo."
"No you won't. You'll get it after they come out and I've radioed it to
the boys in the other ship. I don't want them any sorer at us than they
are already."