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pitalist system which rewarded performance by giving it business and profits and fortable salaries for the workers who turned out good work。 The PRC was still learning how to do that。 They exported a lot； but to this point the things exported were either fairly simple in design （like tennis shoes）； or were manufactured mostly in strict accordance to standards established elsewhere and then slavishly copied here in China （like electronic gadgets）。 This was already changing； of course。 The Chinese people were as clever as any； and even munism could keep them down only so long。 Yet the industrialists who were beginning to innovate and offer the world genuinely new products were treated by their government masters as。。。 well； as unusually productive peasants at best。 That was not a happy thought for the useful men who occasionally wondered over drinks why it was that they； the ones who brought wealth into their nation； were treated as。。。 unusually productive peasants； by the ones who deemed themselves the masters of their country and their culture。 Nomuri walked outside； toward his parked automobile； wondering how long that could last。
This whole political and economic policy was schizophrenic； Nomuri knew。 Sooner or later； the industrialists would rise up and demand that they be given a voice in the political operation of their country。 Perhaps … doubtless … such whispers had happened already。 If so； word had gotten back to the whisperers that the tallest tree is quickly cut for lumber； and the well with the sweetest water is first to be drunk dry； and he who shouts too loudly is first to be silenced。 So； maybe the Chinese industrial leaders were just biding their time and looking around the rooms where they gathered； wondering which of their number would be the first to take the risk； and maybe he would be rewarded with fame and honor and later memories of heroism … or maybe； more likely； his family would be billed for the 7。62x39 cartridge needed to send him into the next life； which Buddha had promised but which the government contemptuously denied。
So； they haven't made it public yet。 That's a little odd；〃 Ryan thought。 〃It is；〃 Ben Goodley agreed with a nod。
〃Any idea why they're sitting on the news？〃
〃No； sir。。。 unless somebody is hoping to cash in on it somehow； but exactly how。。。〃 CARDSHARP shrugged。
〃Buy stock in Atlantic Richfield？ Some mine…machine builder …〃
〃Or just buy options in some land in eastern Siberia；〃 George Winston suggested。 〃Not that such a thing is ever done by the honorable servants of the people。〃 The President laughed hard enough that he had to set his coffee down。
〃Certainly not in this administration；〃 POTUS pointed out。 One of the benefits the media had with Ryan's team was that so many of them were plutocrats of one magnitude or another； not 〃working〃 men。 It was as if the media thought that money just appeared in the hands of some fortunate souls by way of miracle。。。 or some unspoken and undiscovered criminal activity。 But never by work。 It was the oddest of political prejudices that wealth didn't e from work； but rather from something else； a something never really described； but always implied to be suspect。
〃Yeah； Jack；〃 Winston said； with a laugh of his own。 〃We've got enough that we can afford to be honest。 Besides； who the hell needs an oilfield or gold mine？〃
〃Further developments on the size of either？〃
Goodley shook his head。 〃No； Sir。 The initial information is firming up nicely。 Both discoveries are big。 The oil especially； but the gold as well。〃
〃The gold thing will distort the market somewhat；〃 SecTreas opined。 〃Depending on how fast it es on stream。 It might also cause a shutdown of the mine we have operating in the Dakotas。〃
〃Why？〃 Goodley asked。
〃If the Russian strike is as good as the data suggests； they'll be producing gold for about twenty…five percent less than what it costs there； despite environmental conditions。 The attendant reduction of the world price of gold will then make Dakota unprofitable to operate。〃 Winston shrugged。 〃So； they'll mothball the site and sit until the price goes back up。 Probably after the initial flurry of production； our Russian friends will scale things back so that they can cash in in a more； uh； orderly way。 What'll happen is that the other producers； mainly South Africans； will meet with them and offer advice on how to exploit that find more efficiently。 Usually the new kids listen to advice from the old guys。 The Russians have coordinated diamond production with the De Beers people for a long time； back to when the country was called the Soviet Union。 Business is business； even for mies。 So； you going to offer our help to our friends in Moscow？〃 TRADER asked SWORDSMAN。
Ryan shook his head。 〃I can't yet。 I can't let them know that we know。 Sergey Nikolay'ch would start wondering how； and he'd probably e up with SIGINT； and that's a method of gathering information that we try to keep covert。〃 Probably a waste of time； Ryan knew； but the game had rules； and everyone played by those rules。 Golovko could guess at signals intelligence； but he'd never quite know。 I'll probably never stop being a spook； the President admitted to himself。 Keeping and guarding secrets was one of the things that came so easily to him … a little too easily； Arnie van Damm often warned。 A modern democratic government was supposed to be more open； like a torn curtain on the bedroom window that allowed people to look in whenever they wished。 That was an idea Ryan had never grown to appreciate。 He was the one who decided what people were allowed to know and when they'd know it。 It was a point of view he followed even when he knew it to be wrong； for no other reason than it was how he'd learned government service at the knee of an admiral named James Greer。 Old habits were hard to break。
〃I'll call Sam Sherman at Atlantic Richfield；〃 Winston suggested。 〃If he breaks it to me； then it's in the open； or at least open enough。〃
〃Can we trust him？〃
Winston nodded。 〃Sam plays by the rules。 We can't ask him to screw over his own board； but he knows what flag to salute； Jack。〃
〃Okay； George； a discreet inquiry。〃
〃Yes； sir； Mr。 President； sir。〃
〃God damn it； George！〃
〃Jack； when the hell are you going to learn to relax in this fucking job？〃 SecTreas asked POTUS。
〃The day I move out of this goddamned museum and bee a free man again；〃 Ryan replied with a submissive nod。 Winston was right。 He had to learn to stay on a more even keel in the office of President。 In addition to not being helpful to himself； it wasn't especially helpful to the country for him to be jumpy with the folderol of office…holding。 That also made it easy for people like the Secretary of the Treasury to twist his tail； and George Winston was one of the people who enjoyed doing that。。。 maybe because it ultimately helped him relax； Ryan thought。 Backwards English on the ball or something。 〃George； why do you think I should relax in this job？〃
〃Jack； because you're here to be effective； and being tight all the time does not make you more effective。 Kick back； guy； maybe even learn to like some aspect of it。〃
〃Like what？〃
〃Hell。〃 Winston shrug