Establishment of the Authority
- There is hereby established the International Seabed Authority, which shall function in accordance with this Part.
- All States Parties are ipso facto members of the Authority.
- The seat of the Authority shall be in Jamaica.
Article 158
Organs of the Authority
- There is hereby established the Enterprise, the organ through which the Authority shall carry out the functions referred to in article 170, paragraph 1.
(United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, signed at Montego Bay, Jamaica, on December 10, 1982.)
"Sorry about the emoluments," said Director-General Wilbur Jantz apologetically, "but they're fixed by U.N. regulations."
"I quite understand. As you know, I'm not here for the money."
"And there are very considerable fringe benefits. First, you'll have the rank of ambassador . . ."
"Will I have to dress like one? I hope not - I don't even have a tux, let alone the rest of that damned nonsense."
Jantz laughed.
"Don't worry - we'll take care of details like that. And you'll be VIPed everywhere, of course - that can be quite pleasant."
It's a long time, thought Jason Bradley, since I've not been VIPed, but it would be rather tactless to say so. Despite all his experience, he was a new boy in this environment; maybe he shouldn't have made that crack about ambassadors. . . .
The D.G. was scanning the readout scrolling on his desk display, giving an occasional PAUSE command so that he could examine some item in detail. Bradley would have returned a substantial slice of his income to his new employers for the privilege of reading that file. I wonder if they know, he thought, about the time that Ted and I 'salted' that wreck off Delos with fake amphorae? Not that I've got a guilty conscience: it caused a lot of trouble to people who thoroughly deserved it.
"I think I should tell you," said the D.G., "that we did have one small problem - though I shouldn't worry about it. Some of our more, ah, aggressively independent states-parties may not be too happy about your CIA connection."
"That was more than thirty years ago! And I didn't even know it was a CIA job until long after I'd signed up - as an ordinary seaman, for heaven's sake. . . . I thought I was joining Hughes' Summa Corporation - and so I was."
"Don't let it lose you any sleep; I mention it just in case someone brings it up. It's not likely, because in all other respects your qualifications are superb. Even Ballard admitted that."
"Oh - he did?"
"Well, he said you were the best of a bad bunch."
"That sounds like Bob."
The D.G. continued to examine the readout, then sat for a moment with a thoughtful expression.
"This has nothing to do with your appointment, and please excuse me if I'm speaking out of turn. I'm talking to you as man to man - "
Hello, thought Jason, they know about the Villa! I wonder how they got through Eva's security?
But it was a much bigger surprise than that . . . . |
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