by Simon Kewin
“How can you be sure of that?”
“You have been inside your quarters ever since Palianche's delegation arrived at the Congress Hall this morning.”
“I might have an accomplice, working for one of the other sides.”
“Are you saying that you do?”
She resumed walking. “I'm saying that you wouldn't know if I did.”
“On the balance of probabilities, it's extremely unlikely. You are very focused on resolving this dispute, and the murder of one of the delegates hardly helps the situation. I believe you are the best person to lead this enquiry. Then there is the fact that it is not uncommon for individuals such as yourself to become investigators on Periarch, given your empathic senses and your enhanced social authority. Most members of the Periarch government and judiciary are, or have been, Pack Queens, have they not?”
That was all true. Also, fraudsters, cult leaders and, occasionally, brutal tyrants, but she chose not to mention that. Very well. She had no great desire to turn investigator, but it might be the quickest way to a resolution. Perhaps, somehow, she could keep all the parties engaged with the peace process while she worked out who had killed Palianche. The motives had to be rooted in the disputes between the three worlds. Anyone else coming in might blunder about and offend the delegations, causing more harm than good.
“I'll do what I can,” she said to Coronade. “Where are the delegations now?”
“They are waiting at the Congress Hall.”
“Apart or together?”
“Apart, in the rooms set aside for them.”
That was good. The last thing they needed was for the situation to escalate. “I'll speak to Pannax Ro first, get the full story from her of how she found the body. Or how she claims she found it. But I will need help from the Marshals. They must have forensic investigators they use when there is violence among the non-diplomatic population.”
“I can request that one is co-opted to your investigation.”
“Do that. In fact, give me five or ten so I can deploy them as I need.”
“It is done.”
“Tell me also, what did you learn from the probe sent to the disputed world?”
“You still wish to engage in the peace process, attempt to find a resolution even now?”
It seemed that she did. She wasn't prepared to admit defeat yet. “Partly, yes. The truth about the supposed ancient landing might also be relevant to the investigation.”
“I do now have planetary telemetry from the nanosensors deployed around the disputed world. Unfortunately, they weren't able to discern any corroborating evidence of the site from orbit.”
“Then, we're no further forwards.”
“Actually, we are. I instructed the metaspace ship to fire nanosensors into the planet's atmosphere.”
“You authorized an incursion into the Sejerne sacred realm? I'm impressed.”
“Thank you.”
“I take it this is another situation where you chose not to share full information with another planetary Mind.”
“Sejerne has no idea the incursion took place. I did not think disseminating that information would help anyone.”
“And you found something on the planet?”
“The traces are faint, but they are there. The sensors picked up microfragments scattered across a wide area around the coordinates given. Mostly refined metals and engineered graphite, but also some organic remains.”
“Enough to identify individuals?”
“No, but enough to age them. They fit in with Pannax Ro's thousand-year timeline.”
“With what margin of error?”
“A hundred years either way. Someone crash-landed on the disputed world around ten centuries ago.”
“It was either an unknown outsystem traveller, or Ro is telling the truth.”
“And if it was an unrelated species, how could Ro have known about it?”
Magdi thought about that as she entered the Congress Hall. “Perhaps this theoretical species landed on Arianas first, and it's records of that the Aranians have conveniently uncovered.”
“Which would imply that a fourth spacefaring species has a claim in these negotiations,” said Coronade. “A further complication we could do without.”
“Can you predict which species that might have been?”
“There are no obvious candidates in that region of the galaxy, although my records that far back are scant. The probe ship will be returning through metaspace within the hour. Once the microfragments are here we can attempt to match them to Aranian biology.”
“Let me know if you discover anything.”
“I will. I'm informed by the City Marshals that a forensic investigation team is now on its way to you, along with a handful of foot-soldiers. They have been instructed to follow your command for the duration of the investigation.”
Now she was commanding a team of City Marshals. The day was certainly turning into a strange one. “Very well. Is there anything else I should know about? Any updates on the Magellanic Cloud story?”
“Nothing.”
She paused outside the rooms assigned to Pannax Ro near the conference chamber to let her heart rate and elevated breathing subside. She also reached out with her empathic senses, trying to acquire some insight into Ro's state of mind. It was often easier when people weren't aware they were being listened to – which was completely unacceptable eavesdropping, but Magdi considered it justified under the circumstances. She got nothing. Ro was certainly in there, but her emotional responses were as securely locked-away as ever.
Magdi requested admittance and the door opened. She immediately regretted rushing to the scene and not being better prepared. The room was icy cold: a comfortable temperature for Ro, but not for her. She'd just have to put up with it for a while. Ro stood at the window, overlooking the Suri cityscape. Her features were completely neutral as she turned to greet Magdi.
“A poor start to the talks,” said Ro.
“It's not ideal. Can I ask if you plan to remain upon Coronade?”
“Are you asking as a conciliator or as a murder investigator?”
It appeared Ro had heard about that, too ¬– or guessed the truth. “I appear to be both.”
“The death of Palianche is unfortunate but unimportant in the large scheme of things,” said Ro. “As to the peace talks, I shall remain here if they are likely to resume.”
“You don't think Palianche's death is important?”
“I'm sorry, but no. Not compared to the survival of whole worlds.”
Magdi crossed to stand beside Ro, not looking at her but mimicking her stance a little to put her at her ease. A single fly clung to the outside of the window, winds buffeting its wings, hairsbreadth legs splayed to hold it in place upon the glass. An insectoid, or, perhaps, an avatar of the Coronade Mind listening in on their conversation?
“Can I ask what happened here this morning?” asked Magdi. “How you found him?”
“If you're formally interviewing me, shouldn't you be following some procedure?”
“I'm not formally interviewing you, and there is no procedure. As diplomatic envoys, you do not fall under Coronade law and you do not have to answer my questions. But then, I imagine you knew that.”
Ro conceded the point with a dip of her head. “You are cold,” she said. It sounded more like a statement than a question.
“I'll survive,” said Magdi. “Will you tell me what happened?”
“I am happy to.”
“Can I ask first if you have any cranial enhancements?”
“Some. The normal conveniences of easy communication and computation. Memory recall to counteract the effects of ageing.”
“Which means you have full sensory recordings of everything you experienced here this morning.”
“I do.”
“Will you relay your impressions to me?”
“I will not.”
“May I ask why?”
“Would you share your
private data with me if I asked?”
“I might if they exonerated me from a murder.”
“So, you believe I killed Delegate Palianche.”
“I believe you're a significant suspect. You must see that. You found the body, and it's well-known that the two of you hated each other. You have threatened each other publicly on many occasions; it's easy to see how matters might have grown out of hand. Words turning angrier, becoming threats and insults until a line is crossed…”
Ro's voice remained as controlled as ever. “I concede that I am an obvious suspect, but that picture you paint did not happen. I found him already dead. I will not give you access to my private data as I don't trust you to limit your investigations to the relevant impressions. I don't know how things are on Coronade, but on Arianas that is completely normal behaviour. If you feel the need to exonerate me, then you will have to do so by other means.”
Ro's lack of cooperation surprised Magdi. The Fleet General appeared almost indifferent to what had taken place.
“You need the talks to proceed,” Magdi said. “The sooner we find out what has happened here, the sooner we can meet around the negotiating table.”
“One way or another, we on Arianas will survive, whether or not the talks happen.”
“You're sure of that are you?”
Ro threw her a look but didn't reply. Was it possible the Aranians had done this thing to sabotage the summit, incite the Gogoni into conflict? Ro was behaving almost as if that were the case. But it made little sense. The Aranians need for power was urgent; their planet was already showing signs of environmental decay. Ro hadn't admitted it, but the data was clear.
Magdi changed approach. She needed to try harder to goad the Aranian if she hoped to elicit an emotional response. “From what I know of the blow that killed Palianche, it was dealt by someone who knew what they were doing, who had killed before. And you've fought in wars for nearly thirty years now.”
“Eighteen years.”
“It's thirty. I've seen your war record.”
“It's thirty standard years, perhaps. Thirty Sejerne years. As we reckon it on Arianas, it's been eighteen.”
“Of course. Forgive me.” Another difficulty of systems with multiple civilisations: the year of one world had to be adopted as a standard, or things rapidly became too confusing. In this system, it was Sejerne, the middle and least belligerent of the three. She needed to be more careful from now on, make sure she respected Aranian and Gogoni sensibilities when doing something apparently so innocuous as measuring out periods of time.
“The fact remains,” she continued, “that you could have killed Palianche, and that you had a strong motive to do so.”
“Both things are true,” said Ro, “and yet I repeat, I did not do it.”
“Why were you going to see Delegate Palianche?”
“He asked me to visit him.”
“He asked you?”
“That is why we're here, isn't it?”
“When was this?”
“Early this morning. I received a communication suggesting a conversation before the formal three-way talks began.”
“What time?”
“Around the sixmark.”
“That's unsociably early.”
Ro shrugged. “Soldiers get used to being woken up at all hours. A full night's sleep is a luxury enjoyed by civilians and the idle.”
Magdi ignored that. “What time did you arrange to meet?”
“Seven.”
“You were on time?”
“Naturally.”
“Were you off-network when you travelled here?”
“Why would I be? I wanted to be contactable.”
She would at least be able to confirm Ro's movements from the mesh records. Unfortunately, it didn't help too much: either Ro had killed Palianche at seven, or else someone unknown had killed him in the hour before that, after the message to Ro at six. Assuming that had actually happened.
“Can you prove what you say in any way?” Magdi asked.
“Not without revealing my private data, which I will not do. Or unless you can recover the conversation from the other end, from his brain.”
“The request came from Palianche himself?”
“Yes.”
Which meant the records of the communication from his end would be lost. Data on the beads was encrypted with the individual's engrams, and brain death meant that they were irrevocably scrambled. As Ro would certainly know.
“Why would Palianche invite you to a private meeting?”
“I assume he wished to discuss some proposal, soldier to soldier.”
Was that likely? From all her researches, the public enmity between the two was completely real in private as well. Ro and Palianche were playing to their respective populations, certainly, but their mistrust and mutual dislike was deep-seated and genuine.
“Have you had private conversations with him before?”
“One or two exchanges over the years.”
“They could hardly have been constructive. You hated each other.”
“What does that matter? We also understood each other, I think. We were both fighting to defend our own people. You don't have to like someone to reach an acceptable solution to a difference.”
That was good to hear. It was pretty much the basis for Magdi's entire approach to the peace talks.
“Can you run through what happened when you came here?” she asked.
Ro sighed and looked directly at her. Magdi could still read nothing off the Aranian, no emotion, no aura. Ro mainly sounded bored. Life as a diplomatic envoy had to be a lot less exciting than commanding a battle fleet. “There's little to tell you. I entered the conference room and found him dead. By the look of it, he suffered a single, clean blow to the head, removing the top of his cranium and brain. Nicely done, if you are a connoisseur of such things.”
“The force required for such a blow … I assume it would be considerable?”
Ro shrugged. “Anyone with a good energy-weapon and the relevant training could do it easily enough.”
“Do you have a good energy-weapon?”
“Not with me. I assumed I wouldn't be in danger on peaceful, beautiful Coronade.” She didn't bother to keep the disdain from her voice.
Magdi said, “How do I know you didn't come here this morning with the calculated intention of killing him?”
There wasn't a hint of resentment or outrage from Ro's mind. “I'm no expert in such matters, but I would have thought that the way the body was found makes that unlikely. He was clearly seated at the table when the blow came. He was struck and he slumped forwards. Blood had sprayed around him, but I saw none anywhere else. If we'd been fighting, do you think it likely he would have calmly waited while I cut through his skull?”
“I think it unlikely he'd have waited while anyone did that.”
“Then perhaps he was drugged, or unconscious, or suffering some paralysis. Perhaps the old bastard had simply fallen asleep, and someone saw an opportunity.”
“But not you?”
“Not me. I'll be honest, given the opportunity, and if I weren't attempting to negotiate peace with him, I'd have happily killed him. I actually regret the fact that someone else got to do it, but it still wasn't me.”
Another possibility occurred to Magdi. “If Palianche had discovered your claims about your culture's landing on Penanda, that might have been a good motive for killing him there and then, before he could make the fact more widely known. If he threatened to tell Ambassador Vol Velle, for instance, then you might well have wanted Palianche dead. It might have been you that found a way to incapacitate him, so you could come here and slaughter him.”
Ro looked amused. “If Palianche knew of our landing on Penanda, then others would have, too, certainly those in his faction. I couldn't hope to kill them all; Evening Star Rising has many millions of supporters, including most of the Gogoni military. I assure you, the only way Palianche could have found out about
our claim would be if you told him.”
“He must have spies on your world.”
“Oh, he does, we nurture them very carefully, but there are none in the circle who know the truth. Did you tell him?”
“No.”
“How do I know I can believe you?”
“Because there'd be no benefit to me telling him,” said Magdi. “As you calculated when you told me.”
Ro nodded. She had a mannerism that involved her gently stroking the downy fur on the back of one hand with the fingers of her other. She did that now. A sign of stress? More likely, it was something she did when she was calculating, assessing.
“It's interesting that you're putting more weight on our claim to Penanda,” said Ro. “A fact you just called it. Is it possible you've already been there to check on the truth?”
“We would never offend Sejerne by entering the sacred realm,” said Magdi. “That would be utterly unacceptable.”
Ro bared her teeth, as she'd done the day before. It was, indeed, a sign of amusement rather than threat. Magdi had checked in the ethnological records.
“Of course,” Ro said. “But if you had been to Penanda, you would still say precisely that. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me. We will both keep Vol Velle safely in ignorance. The Sejerne like to live in the dark.”
Magdi hoped she was keeping her voice slow and level, giving away no hint of guilt. “We are not keeping Vol Velle in the dark about anything.”
“As you say. Let us simply agree that you now take our prior claim to Penanda seriously.”
“We can agree on that, at least,” said Magdi. “The claim is significant – assuming it can be verified – but it doesn't alter the fundamental dynamics of the situation. Tell me, if we can't see your private bead data, will you consent to a search of your quarters?”
Ro turned back to the window and the city. “Yes, if you think it will help. And I doubt I could stop you even if I tried. If you're prepared to intrude upon sacred Amon, you're not going to worry about ransacking my quarters, diplomatic immunity or not.”
“I am grateful,” said Magdi. “A City Marshal will be assigned to carry out the checks, and I assure you there will be no ransacking. Can I ask that you keep me informed if your plans change, and you decide to leave Coronade?”
