Nica of Los Angeles

by Sue Perry

  "Do you accuse us of memory tampering?" Anwyl angry was at his most dangerous.

  "Should we, Anwyl, son of Rayn?"

  "No. Memory tampering is outside my ken and desire. Had I made the attempt, forgery would be apparent. I lack your facility with memory manipulation."

  Anya took over. "If I may address this seeming concern regarding a second Neutral?"

  "Proceed," the cactus said.

  "The Neutral called Nica works with the Neutral you have seen in our memories. It should be clear that we have made no effort to hide his existence. He is called Hernandez. He is a father of two young offspring. Because these proceedings extend for an unpredictable length of days, he refused to attend, lest he leave his offspring too long alone. We could not insist that he attend this hearing."

  "Such a noble and convenient excuse," sniffed a Cyst.

  "Keepers of the Frames, have Warty Sebaceous Cysts received answer to their question?" Anya asked.

  "They have," replied the cactus. "Continue, Anya, with petitioners' case."

  36. A Plot Cunningly Executed

  The petition process fascinated me. In many ways it resembled a U.S. courtroom, but sometimes it was more like a debate, other times like arbitration, and occasionally like a stage show. I wondered if those who developed my legal system had been Travelers - and added that to my list of questions to ask when all this was dealt with and we had time to shoot a breeze or two.

  Now the proceedings moved from recorded memories to verbal testimony. It was Zasu's turn first. The blue electric wall dissolved and she stepped from her protective cubicle. The cherub guards, riding books, surrounded her for escort to the witness box. There, Zasu sat so still and brave and hope-filled, she broke my heart. I had to blink a lot to watch Framekeep reactions, because my eyes kept filling with tears.

  Zasu elicited smiles around the room as she described her last normal morning with Ziti. The air grew still and sober as she spoke of their delay in leaving. When she got to events in the killing field, she lost the ability to speak.

  "Do you need a pause in your testimony?" the construction crane asked gently.

  "No, please, let me finish now."

  "As you wish - and we grant that wish may change," the female cobra said, even more gently.

  Zasu stared at her hands and breathed, emitting a few words with each exhale. In this manner she described returning to Halcyon, heading for the Connector to the relocation Frame, hiding to watch the operation of the pump and tubes - an operation overseen by Warty Sebaceous Cysts.

  "How can you be certain the supervisors were Warty Sebaceous Cysts and no others?" Anya prompted.

  "Although I only saw their backs, that was enough because I saw them walk and stand. Central Warty Sebaceous Cyst stands taller than the others and the others lean toward him, which makes their outer shoulders rise higher. When they walk, their paths are not parallel, they collide with their center. I observed these behaviors when they visited my Frame before the day of death and I saw identical behaviors on that day."

  "Tell us about those earlier visits."

  "I saw them five - no, my pardons, four times. They invited us to meetings with generous food and drink, because they wanted to persuade us to leave our Frame. They wanted to help us, they said, to give us a Frame with a tourist economy to support us in lean cycles. They wanted to make our waterfront more useful to boaters and fisherfolk. They wanted this, they wanted that. Always, they wanted so little for themselves. Yet when we spoke to them, they would not listen and never met our gazes. I could never believe they cared about the Gumby people."

  "That concludes my questions. Thank you for sharing your courage, Zasu," Anya said.

  "Warty Sebaceous Cysts, have you questions for this witness?" the cactus intoned.

  "Oh yes, most assuredly. Zasu, did you ever like us or trust us?"

  "No, not from the first time I heard you speak at the first town meeting."

  "What provoked this harsh and immediate reaction?"

  "The way that you looked at us, the feelings behind your words."

  "Did you know from that first meeting that we had been long in prison?"

  "I learned that later and it confirmed my suspicions."

  "Zasu, after all you have suffered, we understand how your memories could become flawed. We announced our imprisonment at the beginning of our first meeting."

  "No - that is not how I remember it --- it was later."

  "Honored Keepers of the Frames, may we submit our memories to resolve this dispute?"

  Anya interjected. "Warty Sebaceous Cysts alter memories, this is well-known."

  The Framekeeps exchanged messages on their tablets. Eventually the cactus said, "If we view your memories, we will be left with opposing memories, those of Zasu versus Warty Sebaceous Cysts. We have that now. Continue, if you have other questions."

  "Zasu, could you ever trust anyone who had been to prison?"

  "I do not know. I have never met another. I only know that I do not trust you."

  "On the day of the relocations, did you expect to see us?"

  "I suppose I did."

  "When you saw those backs that reminded you of us, what were we wearing?"

  "I do not remember."

  "Were our heads covered or bare?"

  "I do not remember."

  "Why do you give testimony about this? Why do you not simply share your memory, as was done for book attack?"

  "I - do not know."

  "Perhaps your memory would tell a different story?"

  "No! How could it?"

  Anya stood. "Warty Sebaceous Cysts, these questions should be asked of me, not my witness. As you well know, memories are sufficient evidence only for facts not in dispute. Zasu bears witness that you are responsible for the Gumby genocide, an act you do dispute."

  "Memories are sufficient for facts in dispute, but may also be shared for other points of contention. I wish to see Zasu's memory of three backs at the far Connector," the dolphin said.

  "A memory just discussed may become corrupted for a time," Anya said.

  "Thank you for the lesson in memory reconstruction," the dolphin said.

  The cactus looked from Cysts to Anya to dolphin to Zasu. "Zasu, do you give permission for all present to view this memory?"

  "Yes of course. Take what memories you will, to learn the truth of Warty Sebaceous Cysts."

  "Let us proceed," the cactus nodded to a clerk, who fiddled on a tablet. Anya stiffened and sat. I didn't like the tightness across her shoulders.

  A tiny woman in a saffron jumpsuit approached Zasu. The cherub guards buzzed nearby until the memory was gathered.

  The screens flickered. Zasu's memory of events with the tubes was fuzzy and unstable regarding the trio that may have been the Cysts. Their clothes kept changing, they wore hats then hoods then were bareheaded. It was as though she flipped through different possibilities to find a version that seemed right.

  Anwyl exploded, "Warty Sebaceous Cysts have confused her!"

  "Rather, we have exposed confusion," Middle Cyst replied.

  The cactus hissed and spit, "Let there be no additional outbursts."

  Anwyl snapped his jaw shut on his reply.

  "Zasu, let us reflect on this activity at the Connector. What was in those tubes?"

  "I do not know. Surely a poison."

  "No poison has been found. Are you aware of a more ordinary purpose for tubes and pumps at Connectors?"

  "I have heard you say that you intended to seal the Connector to protect the Frame from construction dust," she snorted.

  "If we showed you written records of just such a plan, developed in advance of that day, what would you say?"

  "I would say that you made a pretend plan to hide your true plan."

  "Zasu, is there anything we could say or do that would make you hate us less or believe us more?"

  "No. You are evil."

  "Thank you for expressing your opinion, Zasu." The Cysts bowed i
n unison and sat.

  The guards buzzed around Zasu until she was back in the glass cubicle with the blue electric shield in place. She had shrunk more. Anya waited until Zasu was safe, then resumed. "Keepers, next to speak is my co-petitioner, the framewalker Anwyl, son of Rayn."

  As Anwyl approached the stand, many of the guards turned to face him. At first I thought they meant to protect the witnesses, then I realized they were showing respect to a commander. Conversely, five of the Framekeeps did not look at the witness seat while Anwyl occupied it. All thirteen Framekeeps had watched Zasu throughout her testimony.

  Anya started his testimony at the docks of Zasu's Frame. He described our encounter with Cysts and Entourage, which placed them in the Frame immediately after the time Zasu had testified to seeing them. The Cysts' past crimes and imprisonment were off-limits for mention, but Anwyl managed to work them in. As he described the encounter on the dock, with each detail he made a comparison to some earlier interaction with the Cysts, which always involved his stopping them from doing wrong. He got away with the first few comparisons.

  "We must protest," Left Cyst jumped to his feet during the next incident. "We have paid all debts for past errors."

  "Our youthful indiscretions are not on trial today," Right Cyst interjected.

  The cactus was stern. "Anwyl, son of Rayn, speak only from knowledge of the present cycle."

  Anwyl waited silently until Anya prompted, "Why did you disbelieve Warty Sebaceous Cysts when they said they had reformed?"

  "I have heard this from them before. Those were their last words when we captured them with Maelstrom and separated them from their master."

  "Ex-master," Right Cyst squawked.

  "As you also said then," Anwyl replied.

  "He's doing it again, bringing up the past!" Middle Cyst stomped his feet.

  "Let us move on to new topics," Anya said quickly, then took Anwyl through a long, technical discussion that I mostly didn't understand, about the alterations of Digby Construction buildings when seen in other Frames. From what I could tell, the Framekeeps struggled with this also, and many retained the sour, brooding frowns that blossomed at mention of Maelstrom. I hoped they were still thinking about the Cyst-Maelstrom connection. Next, Anwyl described our journey to Shastina, and his difficulty changing Frames on the drive.

  "Only beings of great power could follow me so closely, or interfere with my Frame shifts. Similarly, only beings of great power could create building materials for Neutrals to install in Neutral Frames; materials that, once installed, can exert control in the free Frames. The alterations of these buildings demonstrate a plot to exert secret control in numerous Frames, a plot cunningly executed with great patience. The intent of this plot I do not yet understand, but all my years and experience as a Walker warn me that there is grave danger here, and tell me Warty Sebaceous Cysts are the beings of great power in this plot, as they are the beings who interfered with my Travel to Shastina. Moreover, the Frames where I have detected secret and illegal construction are the same Frames where we met dangers during our drive. Warty Sebaceous Cysts exercise untoward powers in these Frames."

  "The construction is fascinating, mayhaps important, and perhaps worthy of another petition if you learn more." This was the first comment from the rotund Framekeep with the protuberances. "But I do not see the relevance to this petition, and your effort to implicate Warty Sebaceous Cysts is weak indeed."

  "The implications grow stronger with each day's discoveries. Just before this hearing, I followed the construction of several buildings from Neutral Frame to the far Frames. In the Frames where Warty Sebaceous Cysts have untoward powers, the altered buildings are heavily guarded. The guards include clockwork dogs of Warty Sebaceous Cysts, some of whom attacked me. One tooth stuck in my arm. Tests confirm it is a tooth of their dogs." Anya withdrew the circular saw piece from her tunic, held it aloft, waited for the assistants to scurry over to grab it.

  "Dogs are stolen, dogs run away," Middle Cyst sounded bored. Two of the humanoid Framekeeps nodded.

  "But of what crime do you accuse those who have altered the buildings?" I couldn't figure out which Framekeep had spoken, but it was probably the Dolphin, given the air bubbles in its tank.

  "I cannot yet say."

  "Then speak no more of this until you can."

  "As you command," Anwyl replied in a whisper, which rose rapidly in volume as he added, "The significance could be high, thus I report on facts I cannot interpret. Their exclusion I deem irresponsible."

  "And their inclusion we deem inscrutable," a humanoid Framekeep quipped, to which the others applauded.

  Anwyl said nothing more. He had made exactly the points he had set out to make. Anya let the chuckle play out, then mopped up a few details with scattershot Q 'n' A; and then it was the Cysts' turn.

  "We have no questions for this one," said the Cysts.

  "You won't ask when and why I came to mistrust you?" Anwyl sneered.

  "It is not your place to propose questions," the cactus said.

  "My comment was ill-chosen," Anwyl agreed.

  When he left the stand, about half the guards gave identical side-leaning head bows, which he returned; the guards had saluted him. At this, the Dolphin went ballistic.

  "Guards! By privilege of the Framekeeps, your illustrious role is to protect these chambers and all who occupy them. This framewalker has no dominion here, nor shall those who show fealty to him!" Of all the Framekeeps, this was the one who consistently spoke against us. It grieved me to count a dolphin among my enemies.

  "We continue with witness born by Pent-Up Angst, of the free Frame Wherewithal, a librarian of unallied books in the western Frames."

  The blue electric shield dissolved from the front of the redtail hawk's cubicle. As Pent-Up Angst headed for the witness stand, the guards surrounded the hawk so closely that I could not see him until he was in the stand, perched on the back of the chair. All four sides and the top of the stand glowed with blue electric shields.

  What a fantastic development that Anya had found him, I realized, as I recalled his nighttime briefing at the meeting of the allies. This librarian could associate the Cysts with the books in the killing field and give evidence of a larger plot, based on the promises that the Cysts gave to the recruited books.

  Anya began with "Did you participate in recruitment of books to murder the Gumby people?"

  "I did, although I knew not the outcome at the time of recruitment. They hired me to recruit soldiers for what they avowed would be fair battle, in the Frame that serves as locus for the western Connectors."

  "What was the motive for this battle?"

  "As a librarian, I do not need to know motivations, I need only know that the fight will be fairly engaged by both sides."

  "You said 'they' hired you. Who hired you to conduct this recruitment?"

  "Three men who paid in cash and shared not their names."

  "Do you see these men in this room today?"

  "I do not."

  Huh? Suddenly, Anwyl sat at full attention. Anya took an involuntary step back. "You do not see the three men?"

  "I am sorry," the hawk whispered. His beady, jet eyes caught Anya's gaze for an instant, then for the rest of his testimony he stared at a point above her head.

  "Pent-Up Angst, you previously told me that Warty Sebaceous Cysts were the three men."

  "Those are not the men I saw. I was mistaken." He shouted this last, over hubbub in the room.

  "Silence, or prison," the cactus offered a choice. The room quieted but the energy level remained fissionable.

  "What threats have you or your loved ones received of late?" Anya resumed.

  "I was mistaken. I do not see the men. I seek not to mislead you."

  Anwyl's voice was even calmer than Anya's had been. "When Warty Sebaceous Cysts promise safety in exchange for certain words, expect death instead."

  "I was mistaken. I do not see the men."

  "Should they prevail, cr
uel death will come to more than you and your family." Anwyl's even tones made his point that much more chilling.

  "We will shield you from the repercussions of your truth," Anya said.

  At last the hawk looked at her again, blinking slowly. "I was mistaken. I do not see the men."

  Anya returned the hawk's stare with enormous sadness. "My questions are done. Be safe, my friend."

  The Cysts leaped to their feet before the cactus had completed the short phrase that made it their turn to talk.

  "Pent-Up Angst of Wherewithal, could you recognize the men if you see them again?"

  "Yes, I could."

  "Will you join us in our quest to bring the perpetrators to justice, a quest that will resume as soon as these proceedings conclude?"

  "Yes, I could."

  "Thank you for your honesty." They retook their seats like their team just won in overtime.

  While the guards returned the hawk to his cubicle, Zasu wailed and spectators whispered. I could hear Ruby, indignant, muttering to Monk, but heard nothing from Monk. Anya and Anwyl were silent and still; I assumed they and Monk discussed this on some mind channel the Cysts could not monitor. The cactus let us get it out of our systems, then restored order again.

  Anya rose as though nothing unexpected had occurred. "To our petition we now add one new clause, that Pent-Up Angst of Wherewithal continue under full protection until the three perpetrators are imprisoned."

  "So granted," the cactus agreed.

  "Well done, well done," Middle Cyst cooed.

  The cactus spoke over him. "Anya, continue your petition."

  "Let Nica of Los Angeles now bear witness." Anya said.

  Three down, one to go. Last, but not least. The one you've all been waiting for. Until recently, I had been eager to take the stand. I didn't like the smile I got from the Cysts when I moved to the questioner's seat. My mind was mush after what had just transpired with the hawk, but this was no time to be frustrated or distracted, so I gave myself a mondo pep talk as the guards escorted me to the witness stand. I took time settling in, vapid Neutral smile in place while I built a defensive berm around my confidence and conviction.