The Distance Beacons (13 page)

When the band stopped playing, Bolton stood on a platform and made a brief welcoming speech. Perhaps a little too brief? He said all the right things, but still managed to convey a lack of enthusiasm. Everyone applauded, at any rate, and then President Kramer replaced him on the platform.

"Thank you for that gracious introduction, Governor Bolton," she began. "The weather may not be ideal, but it hasn't dampened my excitement at coming here. It really is wonderful to finally be in Boston—a city that has done so much to help build and sustain our great nation. All of you should be very proud to be part of Boston and New England, with their great traditions—just as I hope you are proud to be part of America. America has suffered much, but at long last it is starting to recover. I am here to ask for your help in speeding that recovery. I am here to see if we can't join together and overcome the tragedies that have befallen all of us.

"The referendum we have put before you asks a very simple question, but your answer to it is vitally important to the future of our nation. If we continue to be a house divided, if we continue to bicker about petty issues, the tragedies we have suffered will diminish the lives of our children and our children's children. But if we can come together, future generations may look back at this moment as the turning point—when despair turned to hope, when anger turned to understanding, when hatred turned to love. While I'm here, I intend to do my best to help make this such a turning point. Thank you very much."

Loud applause, and then shouted questions from reporters. But President Kramer wasn't answering questions just yet. Everything was behind schedule, Bolton explained; the president had to get downtown; the press would have its chance later. The band played another number, and we all headed back to our cars.

The president's words replayed themselves in my mind as the old Chevy joined the motorcade back to Government Center. Her voice had been surprisingly soft, so that you had to strain to hear what she had to say. But the effect was that her words insinuated themselves into your consciousness much more completely than those of an orator like Bolton. She hadn't said anything I hadn't already heard, and upon reflection I thought her remarks were a bit too pat, too balanced, too speech-like; but still the words were there in my mind, and I had been affected in spite of myself.

I wondered what Gwen thought.

The president rode ahead of us in the largest, shiniest car I had ever seen. Not many people were lining the streets to see it, however. I wondered how many would show up for the speech tomorrow. Of course the Feds would dragoon whomever they could, so that at least the space would be filled up; but what mattered was whether people would show up on their own, out of curiosity or loyalty or hope or nostalgia. Would they ride their horses in from the farms? Would they make the trek down from New Hampshire and up from Connecticut? Kramer couldn't get them to support her unless she could first get them to listen.

When we reached Government Center, I thought about going home. Bolton had seen me at the airport; that was all Fenneman had required of me. But I decided instead to hang around a while longer. I was intrigued.

The present's first stop was City Hall, across the plaza from the JFK Building. She was going to preach to the converted, at an indoor rally for Federal employees. My yellow badge got me backstage, into a crowded meeting room where everyone seemed to be talking at the same time as they tried to thrash out a revised schedule. President Kramer seemed unconcerned. She chatted with everyone and smiled her wide smile and looked as if she was enjoying this chaos. I noticed a couple of large men near her whom I took to be bodyguards or Secret Service men or whatever such people were called nowadays. Their eyes swept the room and occasionally gazed at me. I stayed in a corner and tried to be invisible.

I failed. Eventually President Kramer made her way over to me, her bracelets jangling. "Hello," she said. "I'm Ann Kramer. You're Walter Sands, aren't you?"

I shook her hand. It was cool and soft: the hand of a ruler , not a worker. I inhaled her perfume. I had never smelled anything so rich in my life. Her eyes gazed at me as if no one was more important in this world. Her personality seemed to envelop me, like a fog. "Um, that's right," I replied. But how in the world had she known?

She smiled, noticing my puzzlement. "General Cowens told me on the way in from the airport that a local fellow had been hired to help protect me. I approve, although you certainly don't look like a security person." She gestured at the two hulking guys behind her, who appeared to have been born for their roles.

"That's why I'm such a good security person," I said.

"There have been threats, haven't there?"

I nodded.

"Do you think there's anything behind them?"

I saw no reason to hide the truth from her. "Some masked men beat me up while I was investigating the threats, so yes, I think you've got something to worry about."

President Kramer looked chagrined. "Oh, I'm so sorry. General Cowens didn't mention that. Was it awful?"

I shrugged. "Part of the job," I said.

"Tough guy. Well, I certainly appreciate what you're doing for us. You're a supporter of the government, I take it?"

Once again, no reason to lie. "I'm apolitical," I said.

"But how are you going to vote on the referendum?"

"I don't know. I'm not even sure I'll vote."

"It sounds like you're one of the people I'm here to convert."

"I guess I am."

"Do you think I'll be able to do it, Mr. Sands?"

I considered. "I think you can probably do anything you set your mind to."

She gave me a brilliant smile. "As long as I have people like you to keep me safe, right? Thank you for all you've done, Mr. Sands." She jangled away; her perfume lingered. My narrowed eyes scanned the room, and I saw General Cowens staring at me. I smiled back. His stare hardened for a moment, and then he looked away.

So now the president of the United States knew me. I wasn't so sure this was a good thing. Eventually the schedule got straightened out, and President Kramer went off to talk to the Federal employees, who had been waiting for a couple of hours. Once again, I tagged along.

The Federal employees—including Stretch—were delighted to see her. They would have cheered her even if she had simply read from an ancient phone book. But she gave another speech like the one she gave at the airport, only longer this time, and tailored to her audience. The microphone she used amplified her soft voice but did not destroy its insinuating, seductive quality. You government workers are the guardians of the flame, she told them. It is because of you that we have come as far as we have. It is because of you that the forces of anarchy and despair have been held at bay. But our work is only beginning. The flame must burn brighter, until it can light up our entire nation once again, and then the world....

And so forth. Pretty good stuff, and they loved it. They stood and cheered at the end, and then President Kramer shook more hands. I hung around while the press conference was being set up. Stretch noticed me and walked over. He was glowing with excitement. "Wasn't she wonderful?" he said.

"She gives a good speech."

"I bet even Gwen was impressed."

I glanced at Gwen, who was scribbling in her notebook while the president talked to a knot of supporters. "Gwen isn't easy to impress," I pointed out.

"Still, that kind of eloquence has to move you."

I saw Governor Bolton approaching us. "Let's talk about it at home, Stretch," I said.

Stretch nodded his understanding. "Okay, Walter." And he went away, still glowing.

Bolton was not glowing. He looked harried; his scar throbbed. "See anything?" he asked.

I shook my head. "Not likely something would happen in here, is it?"

"How would I know?" he snapped. "It's not likely someone would tack a threat to my door, but someone did."

No, the governor was not enjoying himself. "What's up after the press conference? Do you want me to stick around?"

Bolton considered. "There's a formal dinner, but I suppose you don't need to attend. The danger's at the speech tomorrow. Just make sure you're there. And don't bring a weapon. She doesn't want any weapons."

"Cowens isn't paying any attention to me," I pointed out.

"That doesn't mean you can slack off," Bolton said. "I hired you, and you'd better do the job." He stalked off before I had a chance to reply.

I wasn't enjoying myself very much either, I thought.

Then I thought some more, and I decided that maybe I was. It was interesting to watch the president in action. And as long as nobody tried to beat me up or throw me in the army, there were worse ways of spending the day. I moved to the front of the auditorium to listen to the press conference.

About thirty news people, including Gwen, were crowded into the first couple of rows of the auditorium. I was a little surprised that there were so many—but then, I didn't pay much attention to the news. There were a few low-power radio stations on the air, I knew, and a lot of smallish local newspapers. All apparently had reporters here.

Their questions ranged from the fatuous to the obnoxious. Kramer answered each of them with charm and wit. Gwen's questions, of course, were the best. "Madam President," she said, "the post-War Federal government has adopted a new constitution, abolished political parties, restricted the right to vote, imposed controls on internal travel, and essentially eliminated state government. And yet you are asking people to vote yes on the referendum, among other reasons, because your government is the legitimate successor to the one that was destroyed during the War. How can you expect people to believe this?"

President Kramer smiled. "I don't want to give a history lesson, but let me just say that I was there, in Atlanta after the War. What took place in Atlanta wasn't easy, and what came out of the deliberations wasn't perfect, but it was a miracle that anything was accomplished at all. You may not consider that the soldiers and civil servants and congressmen who met there fairly represented the United States of America, but who do you suggest would have been better? The constitution they wrote was different from the old one, but it had to be. These have been extraordinary times, and extraordinary measures have been required.

"Now the times are changing, and the government must change with them. That's why we're having the referendum. That's why I'm here today. In my speech tomorrow I hope to outline some of the ways in which the government is going to change—and that's why everyone should come and listen."

"There has been at least one threat of violence against you if you came here," Gwen said. "How do you respond to such threats, and do you think that they represent deep-seated resistance to the government?"

"We cannot allow such threats to interfere with our goals. To do so would be to give in to the basest elements in our society. And no, I don't think the threats are at all representative of the feelings of the people of New England. Of course many people have grievances against the government—and I'm sure some of these grievances are legitimate. But I don't think any responsible person advocates or condones violence against me personally or against the government. If anyone is considering such violence, let me warn him now that I am extremely well-protected."

President Kramer smiled at her two bodyguards. And then she smiled at me.

Gwen had no further questions.

The press conference ended soon afterward. I went over to Gwen, but she had no time. "Stories to write," she said. "Deadlines to meet. I'll talk to you later."

"Um, about the way she smiled at me—"

"Oh, Walter, don't be silly. I've got to run." She kissed me on the cheek and left with the other reporters. The president had already disappeared. I was alone in the auditorium with nothing to do. So I took off my badge and went home.

* * *

Stretch wanted to rehash every microsecond of the president's visit, so I did my best to satisfy his curiosity. He was particularly impressed that I had actually had a conversation with her. "She just seems so warm and outgoing, doesn't she?"

I couldn't disagree. "It won't make any difference, though," I pointed out, "if no one's going to listen."

"They'll listen," Stretch said earnestly. "They have to listen."

It was long after dark when Gwen got home from the newspaper. She looked tired.

"Wasn't the president wonderful, Gwen?" Stretch said.

Gwen looked down at him. "I need to eat before we get into this."

We waited expectantly while she ate. It seemed important to both of us to find out what she thought about President Kramer. When she had finished her stew, we all adjourned to the parlor, and Gwen delivered her opinion. "She's a very slick politician," Gwen said.

Stretch looked distressed. "You don't think she really means what she says? You think this is an act?"

Gwen shook her head. "No, it's not an act, exactly. But it isn't real either. Maybe we don't see enough politicians nowadays to recognize this type of person very easily, but I think I understand her. Everything she does is calculated to help achieve her goals; but at the same time she's sincere in everything she does, because she's done these things for so long that they've taken on a life of their own. I think she'd be legitimately upset if someone accused her of being less than completely honest when she talks about the wonderful, hard-working, generous people of New England. But I bet in some sense she also couldn't care less about us.