Mirage

by Mark W. Tiedemann

  _

  TWENTY-EIGHT

  Bogard laid the unconscious Managins in a row, moving in a blur. When it finished, Mia walked along them, slowly, still favoring her sore leg, and collected their weapons. Bogard paced her, a portion of its torso shaped to receive each one as she finished inspecting it. Derec sat on the opposite side of the aisle, massaging his wrists and shaking every so often, face pale.

  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 ha
ve 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.

  “I did my best, Mr. Avery,” Hofton said quietly. “It’s my impression, though, that the TBI have an agenda not stated in their warrants.”

  “TBI...” Mia said. “Not Special Service.”

  “Significant?” Derec asked.

  “I don’t know. Possibly. There’s a strict code of territoriality between us. We don’t encroach on each others’ investigations. If Special Service takes control of something, TBI stays out, and vice versa.”

  “Unless this is an unrelated investigation,” Derec said.

  “What are the chances of that?” Hofton asked.

  Mia grunted.

  They rode the rest of the way up to the embassy offices in silence. The doors opened and they stepped into a scene of restrained chaos. Staff huddled by office doors down the corridor, while others flitted from room to room. In the reception area, Ariel was bent over the desk, going over something with a secretary while three other aides talked tersely among themselves. Two security guards stood at the main entrance.

  Ariel looked up at them and gestured for Hofton to take Derec and Mia into her office.

  “Can I get either of you anything while you wait?” Hofton asked. He pointed at Mia. “Pain blockers, yes, I’ll see to it. Anything else?”

  “I could stand something to eat,” Derec said. “Nothing for me,” Mia said.

  “I’ll return as soon as I can,” Hofton promised and left.

  Almost immediately, Ariel came in, shutting the doors behind her.

  “Are you all right?” she asked Derec. She stopped short of arm’s length from him. “I was--”

  He raised his hands and nodded. “I’m fine, I just--it--”

  Ariel started to back away, then winced visibly and pulled Derec into a hug. He hesitated, his arms extended as if unsure what to do next. Then he closed them around her and they stood like that for a long time.

  When she did break away, Mia saw her eyes glint wetly. Ariel sniffed once, loudly, then seemed to seize control of herself.

  “Your prisoners are in two of our debriefing rooms,” she said. “They’re for high security conversations, completely shielded. Who are they?”

  “One is a positronic tech,” Derec said. “Tathis Kedder, one of the two at Union Station. The other...”

  “Otin Cupra,” Mia said.

  Ariel stared at her. “You snatched a Service agent?”

  “Chance encounter,” Mia said. “He showed up just when we were about to rescue Derec.”

  “The garage,” Derec said with emphasis.

  “I see,” Ariel said, folding her arms. “Well, I doubt it could worsen the situation in the long run.”

  “What’s happened?” Derec asked. “Hofton said my people are in custody.”

  “Phylaxis has been shut down and seized by the TBI. I tried to get the personnel declared Auroran nationals, but they weren’t backing down. They want you, too. Now that you’re actually here, I can reinstate your Auroran citizenship and grant asylum, but you can’t leave the embassy at this point. At least, it wouldn’t be a good idea to go shopping.”

  Derec almost laughed. He looked around the office and moved to a couch. He dropped into it, sprawling, and put a hand to his face, gently rubbing his eyes.

  “What happened?” Ariel asked. “You were vague on the comlink.”

  Mia described the events in the garage, watching Derec as she spoke to see how he reacted. He did not move. As Mia finished, Hofton returned with a tray bearing food and a small plate with pills which he offered to Mia.

  “I gathered you wanted something stronger than a med robot would permit.”

  Mia gave him a smile and scooped the pills from the plate. There were four. She took two and pocketed the others.

  Derec sat up as Hofton opened the legs under the tray and set it before him. “Thanks,” he murmured and examined the contents. He took a piece of bread and started eating it.

  “Why the local police?” Ariel asked.

  “To complicate things. However far this conspiracy goes, I doubt it includes the D. C. cops. Those men we snagged will go into the system and will be explaining themselves to a local judge, effectively out of reach of higher authority... at least, for the time being. It will be a matter of public record by morning, and maybe some questions will be asked that aren’t being asked now.”

  Ariel scowled. “I wonder if this could be made to constitute ‘arrests’ in the eyes of Aurora.”

  “What’s happening here?” Mia asked.

  “Solaria has officially pulled out of the conference. They jumped the gun on us; we had no response. I haven’t gotten word from Setaris and as far as I know she hasn’t gotten word from Aurora.”

  “Then it’s over. They won.”

  “That’s not clear yet. Aurora can pressure Solaria to return to the table, but we have to have a reason.”

  “All you’re going to do is push Solaria further away,” Derec said. His words came out muffled around a mouthful of food. He was eating heartily now. “Maybe that’s exactly what they want.”

  “What do you mean?” Ariel asked.

  “Solaria’s involved. Your friend, Tro Aspil? He was introduced to Kedder as a representative from the Calvin Institute, an Auroran, but Kedder says the man he met was a Solarian.”

  “When was this?”

  “Over a year ago.”

  “That’s not--he was introduced as Tro Aspil?”

  Derec nodded. He took a long drink, then started telling them about Kedder’s confession.

  Cupra struggled against Bogard’s grip on both his arms until they entered the lift. Michensol, the embassy security man, accompanied them. Mia noted that he looked distantly disapproving of Bogard, but he said nothing. Cupra resigned himself once they were in the small car and kept shifting his gaze between Mia and Michensol, wary but helpless and resentful.

  “Where are we going?” Cupra asked finally.

  “A new experience,” Mia said.

  The lift came to a halt and the doors opened onto a small chamber. Opposite the lift was another door. The lift closed, leaving the four of them, three humans and a robot, in the quiet, almost intimate space.

  “Have you ever seen a sunset?” Mia asked conversationally.

  Cupra blinked. “Of course--”

  “I mean a real one.” She touched a contact and the door opened. A breeze swept into the chamber and Cupra’s eyes widened slightly. “Bring him, Bogard.”

  Mia stepped out onto the observation platform.

  “What are you doing?” Cupra demanded, his voice tinged with anxiety.

  “Giving you a treat,” Mia said.

  She felt a few moments of apprehension herself, standing suddenly beneath an open sky, walking across a wide terrace to the railing, and gazing west toward a distant, uneven line of bluish mountains. By the time she reached the rail, she had control and began to admire the view.

  The roof of D. C. stretched before her, multileveled, aerials and dishes and towers forming a kind of forest--inabstract all the way to a point where it blended with the landscape. The green of actual forest became, finally, the blue of the mountain range, and ab
ove them the sky was yellowing as evening approached. The wind was cold and came in gusts; some of the roof’s protrusions waved slightly.

  “I remember the first time I came up like this,” she said as Bogard brought Cupra to the railing beside her. “I was four and my parents were Settler hopefuls. They had to prove that they could tolerate the open, so they started making excursions outside the city. Naturally, they brought me. We went to the Smokey Mountain Preserve--you had to get a permit and there was a time limit. They let you out in stages. First, there was a shuttle ride to the visitor’s center, then there was the orientation lecture, then a covered area with wildlife that opened at one end and let onto the forest proper. My parents wanted to stay back under the canopy, but I got loose and ran for the open. All of a sudden I was Outside. I looked up at the trees reaching above me. The tops broke into thousands of little shapes. Leaves. And through the breaks in the leaves was all this blue. Somehow I realized that it was sky. And I screamed.”

  She looked back at Michensol, who was listening intently. “I think--I remember--that it was a scream of delight. But my parents must have thought it was something less wonderful and came rushing out to save me. My father swept me up, stopped, and looked up himself. Then he ran with me back under the canopy. We never came outside again. My parents didn’t emigrate. But I’ve never gotten over that experience. Every time I come outside, it’s exciting. The fear goes away pretty quickly and then it’s just... intense. I love it. What do you think, Otin?”

  Cupra hung in Bogard’s hands, head lowered and eyes squeezed shut. He was pale now.

  “I take it you don’t share my enthusiasm,” she said.

  “You’ve made your point,” he said tersely. “Do you mind if we go back?”

  “No, not at all. After you tell me who gives you instructions.”

  “Damn it--!”

  “We can stay out here all night,” Mia said pleasantly. “If you think a sunset is something to see, wait till you experience dawn.”