Mark Tiedemann - Mirage

All of Eliton's security people.

Including her.

Why? Did they represent the only honest group within Special Service? As easy as it was to think that way, it was unlikely. But Mattu and Gel and Mia were the most likely to figure out the inconsistencies in the cover-up. It had been a matter of expedience to close off that avenue of trouble immediately. They had missed Mia in the Gallery, possibly the only shot that had gone wild.

Or maybe not. Maybe they had wanted her alive to frame, along with Bogard. Easy enough to do.

Then why the attack on the hospital? Second thoughts? Correcting a mistake?

Safer to believe that she was a target all along.

Eliton's staff-two people-were dead. Along with five members of Humadros's team killed, that totalled thirteen. One dead in the PSM party. Fourteen. The other seven?

Crol Dushek, head of the Solarian Legation, and two of his aides. Seventeen. The three Aurorans from the embassy here. Twenty.

The last one still seemed anomalous: a woman named Viansa Risher, who at first had no apparent reason to be on the platform. She had been a member of the Settler's Transport Committee, a division of the Settler's Coalition, a bureaucrat with no direct connection to anyone else. It looked like a token invitation.

When Mia called up newsnet articles, though, she discovered that Risher's presence had been significant indeed. The Settler Worlds had demanded a seat at the table from the first announcement of the conference and had been consistently ignored by both Terran and Spacer governments. Risher was the Settler Coalition's spokesperson on Earth and had made a good case for inclusion. Trade relations between Spacer Worlds and Earth did potentially impact Settler Worlds, and they certainly had an interest in the piracy issue since everyone privately believed that the pirates were Settlers or at least used a Settler world as a base. The exclusion made little sense and none of the reasons given had been convincing, Finally, in the last month, Eliton's office issued an invitation to Risher and the conference committee certified her for inclusion. But only her.

Twenty-one officially dead (or twenty, depending on Eliton's actual status). Thirty-three wounded. Fifty-five actual shots fired. Who among the thirty-three had they intended to kill?

And why no one in the DyNan Manual Industries party?

The screen on her datum continued to show WORKING.. Mia finished her water, staring at it, waiting.

Ariel's com registered another call. Mia hobbled over and sat down. She had scrolled through the growing list of messages, worried. Three from Ambassador Setaris, two from Delegate Korolin, five from her aide, Hofton, one from Senator Taprin…

This one was from Coren Lanra, the security for the DyNan group.

Mia killed the visual and pressed ACCEPT.

"Ariel Burgess."

"Oh, Ms. Burgess." Lanra's voice was nasal and a little rough. "I tried your office already but they told me you weren't in-"

"So you called me here. How did you obtain this number?"

"I'm Coren Lanra, security for DyNan Manual Industries."

He said it as if it explained everything. Mia felt herself smile despite her annoyance. "I'll take that to mean it's none of my business? What can I do for you, Mr. Lanra?"

"Well…" He sounded unsure now. This was not the kind of response he had expected, obviously. "I had hoped we could discuss the incident at Union Station."

"Is there a reason you want to discuss it with me?"

"I've tried to talk to several other people at your embassy, but no one seems to have the time. Understandable, with three of Ambassador Setaris's immediate staff dead. But I've been working down the list. I thought I'd give up when I reached the maintenance department."

"Our maintenance is handled by robots, Mr. Lanra."

"Yes, well, as I said."

"I still need a reason."

Lanra said nothing for several seconds and Mia began to think he would simply excuse himself and go away.

"There are certain…" he said finally,"… irregularities… about what happened."

"Concerning?"

"My employers, for one."

Mia chewed her lip. "You mean like the fact that none of DyNan's people were injured?"

"Like that, yes."

"Do you think that needs explaining?"

"It will."

"And you'd like to explain to us. Why? It seems to me that you ought to take this to Terran authorities."

"Right now they aren't very receptive to explanations."

Mia did not doubt DyNan would be high on the list of suspects. Even without the anomaly of no injuries, Rega Loom, DyNan's owner, was also the untitled head of the Church of Organic Sapiens, a rabidly anti-robot faction. But not only anti-robot-DyNan manufactured ergonomic and organic multiplier tech, tools that allowed a person to do the work personally; in fact, required a human to operate it. Their philosophy was a modified form of self-reliance: any tool that operated independently of human control; they claimed, sapped something vital from the human condition. Positronics topped the pyramid of technologies DyNan found inimical to their concept of humanity, but it certainly did not stop at robots. Imbitek, they declared, made things that were little better. Imbedded tech quietly did things humans did not even know about, hidden and forgotten. Humanity had no idea what capabilities it lost to machines that did work for them. Nothing DyNan made operated on its own. The Church of Organic Sapiens extended that belief into the religious, claiming that the true nature of humankind was pretechnological, that Eden had contained no machines, and that the only true state of grace was a state wherein human beings required and possessed nothing but their own bodies and minds.

But, Mia reasoned, if they had been behind the attack, then it was stupid of them to have not at least offered a token victim.

"I suppose listening couldn't hurt, Mr. Lanra," she said finally. "What do you have in mind?"

"If we could meet somewhere…"

"Give me a code where I can reach you. I have to juggle some things, but I'll get back to you."

"Ms. Burgess, please don't avoid me. I think this is very important-"

"I have no intention of avoiding you, Mr. Lanra. But I still have responsibilities to attend. I will get back to you."

Lanra sighed unhappily. "All right. You can reach me here."

A number appeared on the com. "Thank you, Mr. Lanra. How late will you be there?"

"As late as necessary."

"I'll be in touch."

Mia stabbed the disconnect with a trembling hand and leaned back in the chair, thrilled and frightened.

Something, she thought. Finally something!

Now the only problem was finding Ariel.

"Bogard," she called.

"Yes, Mia?"

"Can you still tap directly into security com lines?"

"I have not attempted to do so since our arrival here," the robot said. "It may be that I have been isolated from access."

I doubt it, she thought, especially if they think you're gone…

"Try it now. See if there is any local security chatter concerning Ariel and Derec."

Bogard moved up to the com console and extruded a thin cable from its left hand. The cable connected directly to the I/O port. Data flashed rapidly across the screen.

"No," Bogard reported.

"Send an anonymous report concerning them."

"Through central coordination, or shall I find a field unit in the area?"

"A field unit, of course, if you can."

A few seconds later, Bogard said, "There is a cruiser within the grid around the garage Ms. Burgess is investigating. I have sent a simulated dispatch directing it to the site."

"Very good, Bogard. Thank you."

"Do you wish me to continue monitoring?"

"Yes, Bogard. No further communications, but let me know if anything happens."

"Yes, Mia."