Mark Tiedemann - Mirage

"What robot was this?"

"That special one attached to Eliton's security team. Bogard."

"I see. Weren't you able to recover it?"

"It wouldn't accept commands. Agent Daventri had evidently given it a priority to protect her and it wouldn't accept any other direction until she released it."

"That sounds like you understand something about robots, Agent."

"I don't understand a thing about them. That's what Mr. A very explained to me."

Ariel's eyes widened slightly. "Derec Avery?"

Sathen nodded. "From the Phylaxis Group, yes. He showed up about five or six hours after Agent Daventri was admitted. Even he couldn't get it to move and, as I understand it, he built the thing."

"That is odd, but… go on, Agent Sathen. What happened?"

"Well, Mr. A very told us to leave it alone and to call him when Agent Daventri regained consciousness. Then later we were recalled. After we left the clinic, Agent Daventri's room was destroyed, with her and the robot."

"Why were you recalled?"

"Reassignment. My partner and I were to be attached to Vice Senator Taprin's security team. That won't take effect, though, till tomorrow. When the explosion occurred, we went back to the clinic. There was… nothing left." Sathen's mouth flexed. "Another agent was killed, too."

"In the explosion?"

"No."

When he did not elaborate, Ariel asked, "Any evidence who did it?"

"None. The monitors in the entire clinic went down right before the blast."

"Isn't it a little unusual to be recalled before an assignment is complete?"

"Yes, Ms. Burgess, it is. But then everything about this is unusual, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is." Ariel paused. "Did you know Mia?"

"Not well. She seemed like a good agent."

"May I ask who recalled you?"

"It came through our general dispatch. Normally, another team would relieve us. I thought-well, it didn't happen. An oversight."

"I didn't think Special Service made mistakes."

Sathen's expression hardened. "We don't. Is that all, Ms. Burgess?"

"Unless you can think of anything more. "

"I can't think of anything I left out."

"Thank you for your time, then, Agent Sathen."

The screen blanked. Ariel entered the code for Agent Cupra once more and again got a recording that Cupra was unavailable, please leave name and code.

No forensics… Ariel thought.

She called up the staff registry for the clinic in which Mia was "killed" and found the head nurse that had been on duty that night.

"My shift ended at ten," Nurse Carther explained. "But I was there when the injured agent and that -thing -came in. Dr. Jaley oversaw treatment. He just ignored it, the robot. I couldn't, but I didn't have to be in there with it."

"When did the other agents arrive?" Ariel asked.

"A few minutes after we got the biomonitors connected. Agent Sathen and Agent… um, Vetter. They ran security checks on all of us. Agent Sathen was upset that he couldn't get the robot to leave. Then a man from the Phylaxis Group showed up and he couldn't get it out of there, either. After he left, the other two agents arrived. My shift ended about twenty minutes later and I left."

"Who was your replacement?"

"It was supposed to be Karl Funil, but he called in sick. I'm not sure who was called in then."

"So your relief hadn't shown up when you left? Isn't that irregular?"

"Most of the clinic functions are automated," Carther explained. "If someone isn't there for ten minutes, it's not a problem. The physician-in-charge was there. I could check if you like, see who was called in, but more than likely it was a temp. We draw from a couple of hospital resource pools for emergencies."

Ariel considered for a few moments. That night would have been filled with emergencies. "No, that's all right. What other agents showed up?"

"Two more Special Service people. I don't know what was said, but Agent Sathen was pretty angry with them. I heard yelling."

"They were still there when you left?"

"Yes."

"Can you remember their names?"

"Just the one and only because I heard Agent Sathen say it. Cupra."

"They didn't show you ill?" Ariel asked.

"Agent Sathen knew them."

"Thank you. I appreciate it. If I have any other questions, can I-?"

"I'd rather you didn't," Carther said sharply.

Ariel started. "Oh."

"If that's all, I have things to do."

"Yes, I -"

The image winked out. After all this time, Terran prejudice still surprised her. Too often it came wrapped in a false tolerance that camouflaged real sentiment.

Ariel checked the clinic records again. She found a note appended to the staff log that night: HEAD NURSE KARL FUNIL: EXCUSED FOR ILLNESS. But there was no notation for who took his duties. The way the log read, Nurse Carther had stayed.

Was anyone on staff after she left…? Ariel wondered.

Agent Sathen had said nothing about the visit by Agent Cupra.

"I can't think of anything I left out," he had said.

"How paranoid do you want to be?" Ariel muttered aloud.

"Ariel," Hofton's voice came over the intercom. "Gale Chassik is calling again."

"Damnit!"

"Do you want me to?"

"Put him through. If I don't talk to him now he'll never go away."

A moment later Chassik's face appeared on her com screen. Gale Chassik's features implied an athletic youth unmaintained in middle age-wide jaw, a fleshy chin, and solid cheeks below bright greenish eyes and a seamed forehead.

"Ms. Burgess," he said slowly, "thank you for taking the time to speak with me."

Ariel heard the unspoken "at last" at the end of his sentence. She made herself smile and hoped she looked convincingly apologetic.

"Sorry, Ambassador Chassik, but it has been a hectic day."

"I can imagine. I truly hate to add to your burdens, but I do have a matter or two that require attention. The sooner the better and I can leave you in peace."

"Of course. What can I do for you?"

"First, may I offer condolences on the losses of your fellow Aurorans?"

"Thank you, Ambassador. And I for yours."

"We were more fortunate, at least in simple numbers. I understand Setaris's top aides were killed."

"That's correct."

"Who?"

"I'm taking over some of their duties for the time being. "

"Ah. Then I have finally reached the office I need."

"That depends on what you need, Ambassador Chassik. "

"Simply the formality of an official statement. What is Aurora's-and the Calvin Institute's position-on the disaster just experienced?"

"It's strictly wait and see. We don't intend to take any precipitate action until we have some answers from Terran authorities. For now, we'll wait on their investigations before taking any further steps."

"Nicely paraphrased, Ms. Burgess. What about the conference?"

"There is no reason currently to believe that the conference should not continue."

Chassik looked surprised. "Without Galiel? Who could possibly stand in for her? And Senator Eliton?"

"Senator Eliton's second, Vice Senator Taprin, will stand in for him," Ariel replied. "As for our own contingent, I don't know yet what the roster will be. What about your own legation? Who's staying?"

"None of them. Why should they? The welcome they received-"

"Ambassador, I already have commitments from survivors of the Auroran Legation to stay and see the conference through. It would be awkward if Solaria backed out, don't you think?"

Chassik pursed his lips. "I'll get back to you on that. May I ask who is staying?"

"You may ask."

Chassik waited, then grinned. "When you have your roster completed, you will let us know?"

"Of course."

"The second matter, then. What is your position on the alleged positronic failure and what do you intend to do about the Phylaxis Group?"