Mark Tiedemann - Mirage

Mia hefted one of the rifles. "This is definitely a custom job," she said admiringly. She dropped the clip and cleared the chamber, then raised it to her shoulder. "Nice weight, balance…" She closed the slide with a loud snap. "The rest of these are a combination of old military and new, but standard issue all the same." She picked up one of the blasters. "This is current issue. Inappropriate for anything short of open combat. You could bum this whole place down with it."

Derec watched her, eyes fixed, expressionless. Shock, she decided. He had very nearly died.

"Is this all of them, Bogard?" she asked, waving a hand at the row.

"There is one decedent, Mia," Bogard said.

She shot it a look, startled.

"Not Bogard," Derec said quietly. "The body was already here. Dead."

"Where?"

Derec pointed and Mia went to one of the stalls. Within she found a portable stasis tube with a man inside.

"Do you know him?" she called.

"His name is Hammis. He was one of the positronic techs at Union Station."

Mia came back to the Managins. She stopped at the feet of the one who had held Derec.

"Bogard, identify this one."

"Bok Vin Golner, age forty-one, born Earth, Atlanta Sector, retired military, rank Captain, Space Tactical, surviving family-"

"That's fine, Bogard." Mia kicked Golner's limp foot. "I think he's the leader. I think he led the assault at Union Station."

"He's awfully strong," Derec said.

"He was Space Tactical. They were involved in all kinds of special projects-body modifications, advanced biotech systems, experimental field trials. Super soldiers, literally." She thought about that. "Bogard, the trank you administered. How long will it remain effective on him?"

Bogard knelt beside Golner. Two thin tendrils snaked out from its arms and connected to Golner's neck and lower back. "His system is already purging. We have twenty minutes."

"He should be out for a couple of hours," Derec said.

"Not to worry," Mia said. "We'll be long gone before he comes to. Bogard, secure them."

The robot moved almost too quickly to follow, pausing only to gently turn each man over and bind wrists, elbows, and ankles. Within seconds, the entire row lay face down, arms behind their backs.

"Can you administer another dose of trank to Golner?" Derec asked, his voice a little nervous.

"I cannot be certain of the effect on his system," Bogard said. "Two doses within such a brief time period are contraindicated for a normal human. I cannot guarantee a nondestructive reaction, therefore I cannot administer a second dose, Derec. I am sorry."

Mia felt her patience yield. She took out her own weapon and walked up to Golner's head. She aimed it and thumbed off the safety.

Suddenly, Bogard was right in front of her, its hand encasing the barrel of her pistol. She jerked back, but Bogard did not let go.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

"I must assume that your intention is to kill or permanently incapacitate Bok Vin Golner."

Mia tugged at her weapon. "I had something like that in mind."

"He poses no threat."

"He won't be unconscious for long. He will pose a threat then."

"There are other actions to assure our safety."

"This action would ensure the safety of many people. Golner will do damage if he survives."

"Turn him over to the authorities. They will incarcerate him, and he will pose no threat."

"Bogard, release my weapon," Mia demanded.

"Only if you will assure me you will not use it to cause harm or death to Bok Vin Golner."

Mia stopped struggling and looked over at Derec. He still looked shaken, but there was a thin smile on his face.

"What is it doing?" she asked.

"Obeying the First Law."

"I thought-"

"You thought wrong. You thought Bogard had some sense of good guys and bad guys and that the bad guys are always dangerous."

"Doesn't it?"

"Sort of. But the bad guys are also still human. Bogard is assessing its responsibilities according to the Three Laws. It won't let you simply kill a human being if there are alternatives."

Mia frowned. "That's… inconvenient."

Derec shrugged.

"All right," she said. "I give you my word, Bogard, I won't harm him."

Bogard's hand unfolded from around the pistol. Mia staggered back slightly. For a moment, she considered her chances of taking the shot now, before Bogard could react. Almost at once she felt a pang of shame. She holstered her weapon.

"If we have twenty minutes," Derec said, pushing himself to his feet, "we should use it. How did you get here?"

"I'm still using the embassy transport."

Derec came up alongside her. He pointed to two of the sleeping figures. "Cupra. And that one is the other positronic specialist from Union Station, Tathis Kedder. He set me up for this."

"I think Bogard is right," Mia said. "We should turn them over to the authorities. But not all of them." She turned to the robot. "Bogard, I want you to send in a report to the local police. Trespassers. And we'll leave several of the weapons. And the corpse. Then I want you to rig to carry two bodies."

She walked over to Agent Cupra and Kedder, then looked at Derec. "I think we need to have a sincere conversation." A small contingent of Auroran security met them in the embassy garage. Mia stepped out of the transport warily; she did not know any of them. One man stepped forward, dressed in a formal embassy jacket.

"Ms. Daventri? I'm Hofton, Ariel's aide."

Mia relaxed. "Good. And these others?"

"Embassy security." He looked past her to Derec. "Sir?"

"Derec Avery, Hofton. We met once…"

Hofton nodded. "Yes, sir, I remember you. I'm pleased to see that you're all right. There have been further complications. Ariel wishes to see both of you as soon as possible. What needs tending here?"

From the rear of the transport, Bogard emerged, carrying the still-unconscious men. Mia watched the expressions on the faces of the security team. They looked briefly startled and a little wary, but accepted Bogard at once.

"We need these two placed in isolation, under guard," Mia said.

Hofton frowned. "The embassy doesn't have a jail as such…"

"I don't care if it's a closet."

"That we can provide." Hofton gestured to the Aurorans. "Take them to the secured briefing rooms."

"Keep them separate," Mia added. "Bogard, go with them and assist in observation."

"Is open movement advisable, Mia?" Bogard asked.

"This is the Auroran Embassy, Bogard."

Bogard seemed to consider that for a moment, then moved to follow the security guards, Cupra and Kedder cradled on either side of him.

Hofton watched the robot as it went on. "Remarkable." He looked at Derec. "Do you need medical attention, sir?"

"No, thank you, I'm just bruised up."

"I could use some pain blockers," Mia said. She rubbed her right leg.

"I'll see to it. Please, come with me."

As they headed for the lift, Hofton filled them in.

"Several things have occurred simultaneously that have changed our situation here. The TBI have been interrogating Spacers throughout the district. No arrests have been made, but the confrontations have been such that many more Spacers are leaving Earth than before. Ariel's been working all morning to stem the flow before it becomes a general rout. One of her constituents is here after being threatened with arrest for dealing in contraband. On a more personal note, sir, your firm has been shut down by the TBI."

Hofton hesitated, and it seemed to Mia that he was embarrassed. "I attempted to extricate your assistant, Ms. Duvan, but I'm afraid she's been arrested. There are warrants for your other employees as well. I don't know if they've been found. There is also a warrant for your arrest."

Derec sighed wearily. "Great. And we've just kidnapped a Special Service agent." He shrugged. "Well, if you're going to go to prison, go for something worthwhile." He smiled weakly.