Shadow of the giant

times? Or four? There's nothing special about our corner of the galaxy.
The Hive Queens were remarkably close to us. There could be thousands of
intelligent species in our galaxy alone. And not all of them as nice as we
are."
    "So you're dispersing us."
    "As far and wide as we can. Planting our seed in every
soil."
    "And for that you want Earth united."
    "We want Earth to stop wasting its resources on war,
and spend them on colonizing world after world, and then trading among them so
that the whole species can profit from what each one learns and achieves and
becomes. It's basic economics. And history. And evolution. And science.
Disperse. Vary. Discover. Publish. Explore."
    "Yeah, yeah, I get it," said Bean. "How noble
of you. Who's paying for all this now?"
    "Bean," said Rackham. "You don't expect me to
tell you, and I don't expect you to have to ask."
    Bean knew. It was America. Big sleepy do-nothing America.
Burned out from trying to police the world back in the twenty-first century,
disgusted at the way their efforts earned them nothing but hatred and
resentment, they declared victory and went home. They kept the strongest
military in the world and closed their doors to immigration.
    And when the Buggers came, it was American military might
that finally blew up those first exploratory ships that scoured the surface of
some of the best agricultural land in China, killing millions. It was America
that mostly funded and directed the construction of the interplanetary warships
that resisted the Second Invasion long enough for New Zealander Mazer Rackham
to find the Hive Queen's vulnerability and destroy the enemy.
    It was America that was secretly funding the I.F. now,
developing new ships. Getting its hand into the business of interstellar trade
at a time when no other nation on Earth could even attempt to compete.
    "And how will it be in their interest for the world to
be united, except under their leadership?"
    Rackham smiled. "So now you know how deep our game has
to be."
    Bean smiled back. So Graff had sold his colony program to
the Americans—probably on the basis of future trade and a probable American
monopoly. And in the meantime, he was backing Peter in the hope that he could
unite the world under one government. Which would mean, eventually, a showdown
between America and the Hegemon.
    "And when the day comes," said Bean, "when
America expects the I.F., which it's been paying for and researching for, to
come to its aid against a powerful Hegemon, what will the I.F. do?"
    "What did Suriyawong do when Achilles ordered him to
kill you?"
    "Gave him a knife and told him to defend himself."
Bean nodded. "But will the I.F. obey you? If you're counting on the
reputation of Mazer Rackham, remember that hardly anybody knows you're
alive."
    "I'm counting on the I.F. living up to the code of
honor that every soldier has drummed into him from the start. No interference
on Earth."
    "Even as you break that code yourself."
    "We're not interfering," said Rackham. "Not
with troops or ships. Just a little information here and there. A dollop of
money. And a little, tiny bit of recruitment. Help us, Bean. While you're still
on Earth. The minute you're ready to go, we'll send you, no delays. But while
you're here..."
    "What if I don't believe Peter's as decent a man as you
think he is?"
    "He's better than Achilles."
    "So was Augustus," said Bean. "But he laid
the foundation for Nero and Caligula."
    "He laid a foundation that survived Caligula and Nero
and lasted for a millennium and a half, in one form or another."
    "And you think that's Peter?"
    "We do," said Rackham. "I do."
    "As long as you understand that Peter won't do a thing
I say, won't listen to me or anyone, and will go on making idiotic mistakes
that I can't prevent, then ... yes. I'll help him, as much as he'll let
me."
    "That's all we ask."
    "But I'll still give my first priority to finding my
children."
    "How about this," said Rackham. "How about if
we tell you where Volescu is?"
    "You know?"
    "He's in one of our safe houses," said Rackham.
    "He accepted the protection of the I.F.?"
    "He thinks it's part of Achilles's old network."
    "Is it?"
    "Somebody had to take over his assets."
    "Somebody could only do that if they knew where his
assets were."
    "Who do you think maintains all the communications
satellites?" asked Rackham.
    "So the I.F. is spying on Earth."
    "Just as a mother spies on her children at play in the
yard."
    "Good to know you're looking out for