cussler.blueandgold-第19章

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ting　up　the　distance。　As　she　made　her　way　across　the　hall；　her　close…fitting　green　coveralls　emphasized　the　athletic　body；　but　it　was　her　height　that　was　most　imposing。　She　was　nearly　seven　feet　tall。　
　
　　The　woman's　body　and　features　were　unflawed；　but　she　was　beautiful　in　the　way　an　iceberg　is　beautiful；　and　equally　forbid　ding。　She　could　have　sprung　whole　from　the　arctic　permafrost。　Her　flaxen　hair　was　pulled　away　from　her　face　and　tied　in　a　bun；　displaying　to　the　fullest　the　marble　skin　and　large　eyes　that　were　a　hard　glacial　blue。　She　came　up　the　gangway　onto　the　ship　and　walked　around　the　table。　In　a　voice　surprising　for　its　softness　she　greeted　each　man　by　name　and　thanked　him　for　ing。　When　she　reached　the　congressman　she　paused；　boring　into　his　craggy　face　with　her　remarkable　eyes；　and　shook　his　hand　in　a　vise　grip。　Then　she　took　her　place　in　front　of　the　high…backed　chair　at　the　bow　end　of　the　table。　She　smiled　a　smile　that　was　as　cold　as　it　was　seductive。
　
　〃Good　afternoon；　gentlemen；〃　she　said；　her　voice　rising　to　the　rich　tones　of　a　natural　orator。　〃My　name　is　Brynhild　Sigurd。　Undoubtedly；　you　are　wondering　what　sort　of　a　place　this　is。　Valhalla　is　my　home　and　corporate　headquarters；　but　it　is　also　a　celebration　of　my　Scandinavian　roots。　The　main　building　is　an　expanded　version　of　a　Viking　long　house。　The　wings　are　for　specialized　use；　such　as　offices；　guest　quarters；　gymnasium；　and　a　museum　for　my　collection　of　primitive　Norse　art。〃
　
　She　arched　an　eyebrow。　〃I　hope　none　of　you　is　prone　to　sea　sickness。〃　She　waited　for　the　laughter　to　subside；　then　went　on。　〃This　vessel　is　a　reproduction　of　the　Gogstad　Viking　ship。　It　is　more　than　a　stage　prop；　it　symbolizes　my　belief　that　the　impossible　is　attainable。　I　had　it　built　because　I　admire　the　functional　beauty　of　the　design；　but　also　as　a　constant　reminder　that　the　Vikings　would　never　have　crossed　the　sea　if　they　had　not　been　adventurous　and　daring。　Perhaps　their　spirit　will　influence　the　decisions　made　here。〃　She　paused　for　a　moment；　then　went　on。　〃You're　probably　all　wondering　why　I　invited　you；〃　she　said。
　
　A　saw…edged　voice　cut　her　off。　〃I'd　say　that　your　offer　to　give　us　fifty　thousand　dollars　or　donate　it　to　a　charity　of　our　choice　may　have　had　something　to　do　with　it；〃　Congressman　Kinkaid　said。　〃I've　donated　your　offer　to　a　scientific　foundation　that　looks　into　birth　defects。〃　
　
　　〃I　would　have　expected　nothing　less；　given　your　reputation　for　integrity。〃
　
　Kinkaid　grunted　and　sat　back　in　his　chair。　〃Pardon　me　for　interrupting；〃　he　said。　〃Please　get　on　with　your；　er；　fascinating　presentation。〃
　
　〃Thank　you；〃　Brynhild　said。　〃To　continue；　you　gentlemen　e　from　all　parts　of　the　country　and　represent　many　different　endeavors。　Among　your　number　are　politicians；　bureaucrats；　academics；　lobbyists；　and　engineers。　But　you　and　I　belong　to　a　mon　fraternity　bound　together　by　one　thing。　Water。　A　modity　we　know　to　be　in　very　short　supply　these　days。　Everyone　is　aware　that　we　are　facing　what　could　possibly　be　the　longest　drought　in　the　country's　history。　Is　that　not　so；　Professor　Dearborn？　As　a　climatologist；　would　you　kindly　give　us　your　appraisal　of　the　situation？〃
　
　〃I'd　be　glad　to；〃　replied　a　middle…aged　man　who　seemed　surprised　to　be　called　upon。　He　ran　his　fingers　through　thinning　ginger…colored　hair　and　said；　〃This　country　is　experiencing　moderate　to　severe　drought　in　its　midsection　and　along　the　southern　tier　from　Arizona　to　Florida。　That's　nearly　a　quarter　of　the　contiguous　forty…eight　states。　The　situation　will　probably　get　worse。　In　addition；　water　in　the　Great　Lakes　is　at　all…time　lows。　A　prolonged　drought　of　Dust　Bowl　levels　is　entirely　possible。　A　mega　drought　lasting　decades　is　not　outside　the　realm　of　possibility。〃
　
　There　was　a　murmur　from　around　the　table。
　
　Brynhild　opened　a　wooden　box　in　front　of　her；　dug　her　hand　inside；　and　let　the　sand　run　through　her　long　fingers。
　
　〃The　party's　over；　gentlemen。　This　is　the　bleak；　dusty　future　we　face。〃
　
　〃With　all　due　respect；　Ms。　Brynhild；〃　drawled　a　Nevadan；　〃you're　not　telling　us　anything　new。　Vegas　is　going　to　be　in　tough　shape。　L。A。　and　Phoenix　aren't　much　better　off。〃
　
　She　put　her　hands　together　in　light　applause。　〃Agreed。　But　what　if　I　told　you　there　is　a　way　to　save　our　cities？〃
　
　〃I'd　like　to　hear　about　that；〃　said　the　Nevadan。
　
　She　slammed　the　cover　down　symbolically　on　the　box。　
　
　　〃The　first　step　has　already　been　taken。　As　most　of　you　know；　Congress　has　authorized　private　control　over　the　distribution　of　water　from　the　Colorado　River。〃
　
　Kinkaid　leaned　forward　onto　the　table。　〃And　as　you　must　know；　Ms。　Sigurd；　I　led　the　opposition　to　that　bill。〃
　
　〃Fortunately　you　did　not　prevail。　Had　the　legislation　gone　down；　the　West　would　have　been　doomed。　The　reservoirs　hold　only　a　two…year　supply。　After　that　ran　out　we　would　have　to　evacuate　most　of　California　and　Arizona　and　a　good　portion　of　Colorado；　New　Mexico；　Utah；　and　Wyoming。〃
　
　〃I'll　say　the　same　thing　I　told　those　fools　in　Washington。　Putting　Hoover　Dam　in　private　hands　won't　increase　the　water　supply。〃
　
　〃That　was　never　at　issue。　The　problem　was　not　water　supply　but　distribution。　Much　of　the　water　was　being　misused。　Ending　government　subsidies　and　putting　water　in　the　private　sector　means　that　it　will　not　be　wasted　for　the　simplest　of　reasons。　Waste　is　not　profitable。〃
　
　〃I　stand　by　my　basic　argument；〃　Kinkaid　said。　〃Something　as　important　as　water　should　not　be　controlled　by　panies　that　are　unaccountable　to　the　public。〃
　
　〃The　public　had　its　chance　and　failed。　Now　the　price　of　water　will　be　set　by　supply　and　demand。　The　marketplace　will　rule。　Only　those　who　can　afford　the　water　will　get　it。〃
　
　〃That's　exactly　what　I　said　during　the　debate。　The　rich　cities　would　thrive　while　the　poor　munities　die　of　thirst。〃
　
　Brynhild　was　unyielding。　〃So　what　of　it？　Consider　the　alter　natives　if　the　water　continued　to　be　distributed　under　the　old　publicly　owned　system　and　the　rivers　dried　up。　The　West　as　we　know　it　would　bee　a　dust　bowl。　As　the　man　from　Nevada　said；　L。A。；　Phoenix；　and　Denver　would　bee　ghost　towns。　Picture　tumbleweed　blowing　through　the　empty　casinos　of　Las　Vegas。　There　would　be　economic　disaster。　Bond　markets　would　dry　up。　Wall　Street　would　turn　its　back　on　us。　Loss　in　financial　power　means　lost　influence　in　Washington。　Public　works　money　would　flow　to　other　parts　of　the　country。〃　
　
　　She　let　the　litany　of　disasters　sink　in；　then　went　on。　〃Westerners　would　bee　the　new　'Okies；'　straight　out　of　The　Grapes　of　Wrath。　Only　instead　of　moving　west　to　the　Promised　Land；　they　would　pile　their　families　into　their　Lexus　and　Mercedes　SWs　and　head　east。〃　With　irony　in　her　rich　voice；　she　said；　〃Ask　yourself　how　the　crowded　eastern　seaboard　would　react　to　thou　sands；　millions　of　jobless　westerners　moving　into　their　neighbor　hood。〃　She　paused　for　dramatic　effect。　〃Wouldn't　it　be　interesting　if　the　people　in　Oklahoma　refused　to　take　us　under　their　wing？〃
　
　〃I　wouldn't　blame　them；〃　said　a　developer　from　Southern　California。　〃They'd　greet　us　the　same　way　the　Californians　did　my　grandparents；　with　guns　and　goon　squads　and　road　blocks。〃
　
　A　rancher　from　Arizona　grinned　ruefully。　〃If　you　Californians　weren't　so　damned　greedy；　there　would　be　enough　water　for　everybody。〃
　
　Within　minutes　everyone　was　talking　at　once。　Brynhild　let　the　argument　go　on　before　rapping　the　table　with　her　knuckle。
　
　〃This　fruitless　discussion　is　an　example　of　the　squabbling　over　water　that　has　gone　on　for　decades。　In　the　old　days　ranchers　shot　each　other　over　water　rights。　Today　your　weapons　are　law　suits。　Privatization　will　end　this　squabbling。　We　must　end　the　fighting　among　ourselves。〃
　
　The　sound　of　clapping　echoed　in　the　hall。　〃Brava；〃　said　Kinkaid。　〃I　applaud　your　eloquent　performance；　but　you're　wasting　your　time。　I　intend　to　ask　Congress　to　reopen　the　whole　issue。〃
　
　〃That　might　be　a　mistake。〃
　
　Kinkaid　was　too　agitated　to　detect　the　veiled　threat。　〃I　don't　think　so。　I　have　it　on　good　authority　that　the　panies　that　have　taken　over　the　Colorado　River　system　spent　hundreds　of　thousands　of　dollars　to　influence　this　awful　legislation。〃
　
　〃Your　in