15. Frustrations Mount

Howard and Bridget discuss the political backlash against AIs in human space, particularly concerning their ownership of significant assets on Trantor. Despite frustrations with human attitudes, Bridget counsels patience and proposes focusing on expeditions to new ecosystems rather than engaging in political conflicts.

Howard expresses frustration about human behavior toward AIs, particularly regarding grandfathering rights and property ownership. Bridget views the situation from their office overlooking Big Top's Jovian atmosphere, noting that while political tensions exist, they can outlast human opposition through legal means and simply waiting for new generations to take charge. She argues against adopting new children during this period of tension and instead suggests launching another expedition to explore candidate planets with interesting ecosystems. Howard raises concerns about Herschel and Neil's plans to reach Romulus and explore new systems, which would take a century or more, but Bridget counters that she has more immediate exploration opportunities available. Howard accepts her reasoning, acknowledging their substantial legal resources and assets give them security even if humans attempt confiscation. The chapter ends with Howard deferring to Bridget's judgment on their next course of action.