"Larry Niven and Steven Barnes - The Descent of Anansi v1.0" - читать интересную книгу автора (Niven Larry)

Lucio Giorgi (Engineering)
Edson da Silva (Finance)
Djalma Costa (Industrial Relations)
Luisa (receptionist, BTE building)
Castellon (President)
Eric Burgess (Captain, Brasilia)
Ricardo Diaz (Copilot, Brasilia)
Correro (Psychologist & Missions Specialist, Brasilia)

UMAF personnel:
Resa Mansur
Hassan Ali Hoveida
Falling Angels Enterprises personnel:
Fleming (President)
Miss Ellinshaw (Air Quality Control)
Janet De Camp (Pilot, Anansi)
Thomas De Camp (Ion drive technician, Gabriel)
Mrs. Kelly (Fleming's personal secretary)
Marion Guiness (Copilot, Anansi)
Dr. Dexter Stonecypher (Metallurgist)
Tim Connors (Ion drive technician and pilot, Michael)

Oyama Construction personnel:
Takayuki Yamada
Retsudo Oyama

One

HIGH FINANCE


On October 16, 1970, the Comsat Board of Directors declared a dividend of 12.5 cents per share. This was approximately one million dollars, and represented a milestone: they first money made by the general public from a space enterprise.
It took a little over six years for Comsat to go from initial start-up to a dividend-paying operation.

The Brazil Techimetal-Electromotores building was the second tallest in all of Sao Paulo, a glistening golden spire that sprouted from a cluster of drab five-story structures, an egotistical giant among dwarves.
Xavier parked his Mercedes in the underground parking structure, and took Yamada up to the thirty-first floor in a public elevator. There they changed to a security elevator.
Jorge Xavier stood perfectly erect, and nearly a foot taller than his companion. His face was dark, his hair thick and fluffy and prematurely white; he was altogether a tailor's dream. Now his generous mouth was drawn into a slender line, his brows wrinkled in concentration. He asked-in English; he had learned that Yamada's Portuguese was poor-"You are sure of the amount?"
"Absolutely. Oyama Construction wants the cable at all costs. The Trans-Korea bridge will make their reputation."
Xavier slammed the edge of his palm into the elevator wall, swearing in Portuguese. "I know, I know. It is why we must have it. With the Stonecypher Cable in our hands, we can force Oyama construction into a merger. Such a merger would combine the raw materials and manpower available to BTE with the technical resources and world respectability of Oyama Construction. With terms favorable to beth sides, such a merger could be~-" he groped for words. "I do not care what it takes. We will have that cable."
"Your company president. Your Senhor Castellon. He will not match Oyama's bid?"
"Castellon is a sick old man. He spends half of the year in Caxambu, drinking the waters to heal a faulty liver. His problem is not in the liver-it is in the heart. He has no heart for a gamble."
An electric-eye scan of the BTE executive's identification card admitted them to the fifty-fourth floor. Yamada stepped out and smiled reflexively at the pleasant softness of the carpet. He said, "And you do?"
"I would not have brought you here otherwise. I, and a few others in my company, we have the heart. We are young, and strong. We will gamble."
Yamada wondered, too late, if it had been wise to betray Oyama Construction to this man. He was suddenly very aware of what he himself was gambling. Income, reputation, honor, freedom...if he lost.
The BTE executive suite was as luxurious as practicality would allow. Muted music flowed from the inner walls, and many of the outer walls were gold-tinted plastic. The tinting reduced the glare without obstructing the view of the city. It was a view worthy of appreciation, a vista of silver and red buildings sparkling in the sun almost as far as the eye could see.
The receptionist was alert and smiling a greeting as the elevator door slid open. "Boa tarde, Senhor Xavier."
"Boa tarde, Luisa. Apresento-lhe o Senhor..." he turned to Yamada apologetically.
"Excuse me. Luisa, this is Mr. Yamada. We will be in conference. Call Mr. da Silva, Mr. Costa, and Mr. Giorgi. Have them come to my office. Obrigado. Mr. Yamada? This way, please."
Xavier led the slender Oriental down the hallway and steered him around a right corner. This corridor ended in a huge oak-panelled door with the name J. Xavier centered on a rectangle of brass. The door swung open without a sound, and they entered.
There was a large conference desk in the front part of the office with a setup for videophone conferences. Yarnada doubted that Xavier would want the contents of this particular conference broadcast over any line, no matter how secure.