Barry Longyear - Enemy Papers

"Thanks." Placing the link to his ear, he says into the speaker plate, "This is Davidge." His mouth splits into a wide grin. "Hey, Falna, we were just talking about you. Where―" He frowns, then his face becomes like stone. Without looking at Kita, he releases her hand. "We’ll be right there."

He closes the cover on the link. Turning to us he says, "That was Falna. Jeriba Ty is dead. Nisak security found Ty in an airlock, no suit, the place filled with Timan air."

"Suicide?" I ask, my voice more cynical-sounding than I intend.

Davidge tosses the link on his chair, nods once, then turns to head for the quarters wing.

Jeriba Ty sits slumped against the bulkhead near the airlock’s interior control panel looking as though it were asleep. There are no signs of struggle. A human Timan Nisak security officer gives us a report on the playback from the airlock control panel. The open command was given from the oxygen side of the hatch, the hatch opened, the close hatch command was given from inside the lock, and the hatch closed. The open command was then given from inside the lock to the Timan side hatch. An automatic caution warning requiring special gear to enter the Timan section went on, the cancel warning command was given, and the oxynitrogen atmosphere pumped out and replaced by Planet Timan’s mix of ammonia, carbon dioxide, and several other disagreeable substances. By the time the Timan side of the lock opened, Jeriba Ty was certainly dead.

During the recital, Davidge kneels next to Ty. He whispers words to the corpse, sits on his heels and becomes like stone, then cries quietly. When the crying ends, he stands and continues looking at the body of one of his charges. While I am thinking that Will Davidge must be seeing Ty as a child in his cave, the learning, the playing, the hurts and tears, Kita and Reaper come through the hatch. When the security officer finishes, Kita says to Davidge, "The link records show only the calls Ty made. Any data it received have been removed from the system."

Davidge gathers his thoughts, comes back to reality, and frowns at Kita. "Removed?"

"The link automatically saves everything, Will. To clear the data from the system it had to be intentionally removed. Reaper and I went through Ty’s quarters and there are no data cards or notes."

Davidge looks down at Ty’s face. "I’ve gotten you killed." He looks at Kita, Reaper, and Falna in turn. "Go over everything, then go over it again. Ty’s quarters, the murder scene, call everyone Ty called and have them send whatever they sent to Ty. Answers. I need answers,"

He faces me and cocks his head toward the open hatchway. "Ro, I have to make a couple of calls. I can use some company."

As I turn to follow Davidge, I look to Falna, but it is next, to Kita, bending over the body of Jeriba Ty.

In the subspace link’s little chamber, I look into all of the dark corners, my mind flooded with truths and suspicions of truths. At one point I am so overwhelmed I lean against the wall. When I look at the screen, I see that Davidge has made a subspace link to Friendship and Aakva Lua. "Why are you calling Sanda first?"

"Cowardice," he answers flatly. "The easy call first."

There is not much to pass on, except the news of Ty’s death and my suspicions regarding mind fusion. Afterward Davidge calls Jeriba Zammis. I watch as Zammis’s forceful, dynamic manner evaporates upon learning of its child’s death. Zammis looks stunned for a moment, then comes under complete control. After the call is concluded I mention how strong Zammis seemed.

"Zammis can’t afford to feel its feelings just yet. Zammis still has to tell Haesni." He glances at me. "You know how that is."

"I know how that is."

The last call Davidge makes is to the Talman Kovah on Draco. Jeriba Shigan is awakened from its sleep to receive the call by servants who are none too pleased at the task. Once on the screen, Davidge bluntly tells the Ovjetah, "We are on Timan. Jeriba Ty is dead. Falna and two others are investigating, but right now it looks as though it’s murder staged to look like a suicide." I watch Shigan’s face as the news is disbelieved, fought, and eventually accepted. While the Ovjetah wages its battle, Davidge explains the circumstances. Listening to the bitter tone in his voice it seems as though, in some manner, Davidge blames the Ovjetah. At last Davidge explains our thoughts concerning mind fusion on Amadeen and he asks, "Have we paid enough of a price on Timan? Can you look in your computer and at least tell me if our wild goose chase here is over?"

I never saw Jeriba Shigan look so old, so tired. "Knowledge of the path might close the path, Uncle."

"Dammit―"

"Uncle, you are the one who first taught me about talma!" shouts the Ovjetah. After the interruption, Jeriba Shigan calms a bit and says, "Right now we can see several possible paths. If I tell you what they are, you will pick the one you like the best and pursue it, disregarding the rest. Or, to protect yourself from creating what you used to call a self-fulfilling prophesy, you might refuse all of the paths." The Ovjetah rubs its eyes and looks at Davidge. "You must be free of such self-imposed restraints and limitations. You must be free to move from path to path, for I am convinced that the talma that will succeed has yet to be discovered."

Davidge takes a deep breath, lets it escape his lungs, and says more gently, "I know. Forgive me, Shiggy. The years haven’t made me any smarter." He reaches to cut off the link and I place my hand on his shoulder. "I want to talk to the Ovjetah."

Davidge frowns at me. "Alone or do you want an audience?"

"Alone."

The human raises his eyebrows, shrugs, and leaves the small room. I take his place in the seat and look at the image of Jeriba Shigan on the screen. "I grieve your loss, Ovjetah."

Shigan nods its thanks and asks, "How are you faring on the Jetai Diea’s wild goose chase?"

I think for a moment, my mind still swamped with its new truths. "Ovjetah, I am in places I do not want to be learning things I do not want to know."

"What is your opinion regarding mind fusion as a tool to bring about an end to the fighting on Amadeen?"

I lean back in the seat and take a deep breath. There are many subjects to discuss to avoid the things I need to say. I can spare some time for one answer.

"I do not know how we can submit the population of an entire planet to mind fusion." I hold out my hands, then drop them in my lap. "Ovjetah, mind fusion allowed me to see things about myself I wouldn’t ordinarily see. The thing that changed me, though, had nothing to do with mind fusion. Besides, few on Amadeen want to give up their pain. Most feed off it. It defines them. It makes them belong to each other. For every one on Amadeen we can coax into mind fusion, there are ten thousand we cannot." I look at Jeriba Shigan and say, "There are some things I need to know, and to ask I need to know that my questions and your answers remain confidential,"

The Ovjetah raises an eyebrow as it considers my request. "I and my assistants will respect your confidence." Shigan leans toward the screen and adjusts something. As it leans back in its seat, a channel encode message appears across the screen. "Now everyone else will respect your confidence, as well,"

I ask for the information I need and watch as the Ovjetah frowns back. When I am finished, Jeriba Shigan’s voice is very cold. "As soon as I have the information you want I will communicate with you."

"My thanks, Ovjetah. If you would, please tell Matope we are making progress toward peace on Amadeen."

"Matope?"

"The human in the wheelchair with the sign."

"I will tell him. As you walk your path, Yazi Ro, take care," and then the screen returns to the cloud and sun symbol for Timan Nisak. Once I stop shaking, I place a call to Friendship. When the link is completed, Undev Orin comes on screen to answer. After its greetings and good wishes, I give Orin my request. As it hurries away from the link I hear myself asking Uhe’s ancient question: "Aakva, why do you play with your creatures so?"