The Human Division #10: This Must Be the Place Read Online Free

political talent on Phoenix are, with very few exceptions, complete incompetents.” He pointed in the direction of the patio, where the rest of the family was. “Brandt thinks I get annoyed with him because he’s in with the Unionists. I get annoyed with him because he’s not rising through its leadership fast enough.”
    “Brandt likes politics,” Hart said. “I don’t.”
    “Brandt likes everything around politics,” Alastair said. “He doesn’t give a crap about the politics itself, yet. That will come. It will come to Catherine, too. She’s busy building a power base in the charity world, rolling over people and getting them to thank her for it by supporting her works. When she finally transfers over into politics, she’s going to make a beeline for prime minister.”
    “And what about Wes?” Hart asked.
    “Wes is Wes,” Alastair said. “One in every family. I love him, but I think of him as a sarcastic pet.”
    “I don’t think I would tell Wes that if I were you,” Hart said.
    “He figured it out a long time ago,” Alastair said. “I think he’s at peace with it, especially as it requires nothing from him. As I said. One in every family. We can’t afford two.”
    “So you want me to come home,” Hart said. “And what do I do then? Just walk into some political role you’ve picked out for me? Because no one will see the obvious nepotism in that, Dad.”
    “Give me some credit for subtlety,” Alastair said. “Do you really think Brandt is where he is with the Unionists all on his own? No. They saw the value in the Schmidt brand name, as it were, and we came to an arrangement about what they’d get in return for fast-tracking him in the organization.”
    “I would definitely not tell Brandt that if I were you,” Hart said.
    “Of course not,” Alastair said. “But I am telling you so that you will understand how these things work.”
    “It’s still nepotism,” Hart said.
    “I prefer to think of it as advancing people who are a known quantity,” Alastair said. “And aren’t you a known quantity, Hart? Don’t you have skills, honed through your diplomatic career, that would have immediate use at a high level? Would you really want to start near the bottom? You’re a little old for that now.”
    “You’ve just admitted the Colonial Union diplomatic corps taught me skills,” Hart said.
    “I never said you didn’t have them,” Alastair said. “I said they were being wasted. Do you want to use them as they ought to be used? This is the place, Hart. It’s time to let the Colonial Union take care of the Colonial Union. Come back to Phoenix, Hart. I need you. We need you.”
    “Lizzie Chao needs me,” Hart said, ruefully.
    “Oh, no, stay away from her,” Alastair said. “She’s bad news. She’s been banging my field rep here in Crowley.”
    “Dad!” Hart said.
    “Don’t tell your mother,” Alastair said. “She thinks Lizzie is a nice girl. And maybe she is nice. Just without very good judgment.”
    “We wouldn’t want that,” Hart said.
    “You’ve had enough bad judgment in your life so far, Hart,” Alastair said. “Time to start making some better choices.”

    “Didn’t expect to see you again so soon,” Brous Kueltzo said. He was leaning up against the car, reading a message on his PDA. Hart had walked down to the carriage house.
    “I needed to get away from the family for a bit,” Hart said.
    “Already, huh?” Brous said.
    “Yeah,” Hart said.
    “And you still have four days to go,” Brous said. “I’ll pray for you.”
    “Brous, can I ask you a question?” Hart said.
    “Sure,” Brous said.
    “Did you ever resent us?” Hart asked. “Ever resent me?”
    “You mean, for being obscenely rich and entitled and a member of one of the most important families on the entire planet through absolutely no effort of your own and for having everything you ever wanted served up to you on a platter without any idea how hard it was for the rest of