Jeffrey Carver - Eternity's End

“Testy, testy.” Harriet followed her out of the room, chuckling.

The Narseil embassy ship was both more comfortable, and less, than the corporate ship that had brought them to the asteroid. It was larger and more luxuriously appointed, with comfortable, private compartments—at least two of which had been adapted for human occupancy. On the other hand, for all of the comforts, it felt alien to Harriet. All of the surfaces seemed either too smooth or too rough, and the light was too green, and everywhere the ship seemed to have little pools and streams that looked like instant catastrophes in the event of loss of gravity. The Narseil crew were courteous, but left them alone.

That gave them plenty of time for planning; the Narseil ship was making a leisurely trip of it back to Faber Eri, in hopes of attracting less attention from the Spacing Authority. They knew from Peter’s last communication that Harriet, at least, would be subject to arrest if she set foot outside of Narseil diplomatic territory. She was wanted on suspicion of complicity in the murder of Robert McGinnis, as well as suspicion of aiding and abetting the escape of Renwald Legroeder. She still had enough friends in influential places to have some assurance that the Narseil diplomatic protection would be honored, at least for a time. But she was going to have to come up with evidence of her innocence fairly soon—which could prove difficult, locked in the Narseil embassy.

She was more grateful than ever for Peter’s assistance. She was also determined not to stay locked up one day longer than necessary.

Rather than landing at Elmira Spaceport, the embassy ship docked in low orbit with a small diplomatic shuttle, which took them planetside and landed directly on the roof of the Narseil embassy compound. Morgan and Harriet were led inside and met by an assistant ambassador, a tall Narseil named Dendridan, who conducted them directly to their quarters. They were given adjoining bedrooms, plus a work room that already had been outfitted with a secure com-console. “We have been in touch with your investigative representative—the Clendornan?—and have set up a secure com-link for your use,” Dendridan said.

“Thank you.” Harriet looked around, surprised and touched by the Narseil’s thoughtfulness. Apparently El’ken’s recommendation carried some weight here.

Dendridan touched his embassy robes absently. “Officially, our reason for granting you asylum is to facilitate investigations crucial to the righting of historic wrongs against our people. Naturally, if you need to locate certain persons, or pursue information tangential to that investigation—purely as stepping stones, of course—we find no reason to disallow that.” He gave a small bow, and said, “If you require nothing else just now, we will leave you to your work.”

Harriet returned the bow. As soon as the Narseil was gone, she activated the console. She brushed past the security confirmations. “Peter? We’re here. What do you have for us…?”

Peter, she was sorry to learn, had little on the McGinnis case. The security forcefield had finally gone down, but only after the house had burned to the ground. The police still had the property cordoned off. But Peter had learned a few things about the disappearance of Maris. Security-cam records from the hospital had produced a description and partial registration number for the vehicle in which her abductors had driven off. That was enough to identify the vehicle as a rented aircar, later returned in another city, Bellairs, two hundred kilometers to the west of Elmira. However, the same vehicle had earlier turned up in Forest Hills, a town four hundred kilometers to the north of Elmira, where it had been involved in a minor traffic incident, but had fled the scene. Peter had investigators working in both cities, but his money was on Forest Hills.

“One more thing,” he added, before ending the call. “You remember, they never found Jakus Bark’s body?”

“For all the good that did us, yeah. Do you have something more?”

“Possibly. Someone fitting Bark’s description was seen leaving the planet two days ago. On a ship registered off-planet, but suspected of being connected to Centrist Strength.”

Harriet whistled. “Very good—I think. Any hard evidence we can use?”

“Unfortunately, no. If it was Bark, he traveled under an assumed name. We’re still checking, though.”

“Well, good work, Peter. Keep on it.”

Not long after, another call came in. This time it came through the regular embassy switchboard. On the com was a stern-looking woman who began, “Spacing Commissioner North, to speak with Harriet Mahoney…”

“Commissioner, I don’t know what you expect me to do. It is true that my client has left the star system, against my desires—” which wasn’t quite a lie “—but that doesn’t change his basic dilemma, or mine. The fact is he was framed on patently trumped-up charges. And your office hasn’t done a thing to dispel those charges.”

“Mrs. Mahoney—please believe me—” Commissioner North spread his hands in appeal “—we are conducting a thorough investigation, right here at the highest level. If we find any evidence of unfair treatment, I can assure you that heads will roll.”

“Commissioner, I would dearly love to believe you—”

“Well, then, let’s talk.” North placed a forefinger against his temple, and seemed to be searching for conciliatory words. “I believe if I speak to the D.A., I might be able to arrange for you to be free on bail. It’s not in my hands, obviously—but you certainly have a long-standing reputation in the community, and if you want to make a gesture of good faith by meeting me, say, at the police station—or any neutral location you would care to suggest—I might be able to prevail upon my colleagues at Justice to give you some breathing room. Wouldn’t that be better than staying holed up in the Narseil embassy?”

Harriet hesitated before replying. She had no certain knowledge of where in the Spacing Authority the corruption lay. It was possible that North was innocent. But she would have to be out of her mind to take a chance.

“Mrs. Mahoney?”

Harriet shook her head. “I can’t do that.”

“But surely you realize—”

“Commissioner, look at it from my point of view. My client, who not only escaped from a pirate outpost, but brought you a captured pirate ship , was framed for a crime he didn’t commit. Then, while in my company, seeking information on a matter related to his defense, he narrowly escaped an attempt on his life. On both our lives. Finally, to top it off, we were both framed for the death of Robert McGinnis, who sent us away in his flyer because he knew he was coming under attack. Now, what would any intelligent person’s response be to a pattern like that?”

North looked troubled. “That depends on whether it’s all true, doesn’t it? I hardly have to tell you how the police see it. You lack physical evidence for your assertions, and the fact that you left a burning house with a dying man inside, taking the man’s flyer, is problematical. Unless you can produce evidence of your explanation, of course.”

“We’re searching for the physical evidence now, Commissioner. I expect we’ll be finding some as soon as there’s a thorough examination of the McGinnis property.”

North scratched his sideburn. “Well, we’re all eager to see what turns up there. But Mrs. Mahoney—I’m concerned that you’re making your case worse by your insistence on taking refuge with a bunch of—well, I mean, with the Narseil.” He leaned forward. “The thing is—from the point of view of the prosecutors—how do they know that you were at McGinnis’s house just to discuss Impris ?”