Stone Blade

by James Cox

  "Did they inform you of the charges against you?"

  Robin thought hard. "They... they might have. I... I don't... I don't remember much." She felt tears forming at the edges of her eyes. "Charged? With... a crime?"

  Gallaway made some notes. "Yes. Several, and fairly serious ones." Her expression softened. "I have a strong feeling you're going to tell me you're innocent."

  "I... I am. I am! I haven't... I haven't..." Robin coughed back a sob. "I don't know what they're doing to me or why or... Or... Or..."

  An arm around her shoulder released all the emotion Robin had held at bay. Finally, when she finished, Gallaway handed her a tissue.

  "Slib. I'm convinced," said Gallaway, "I've seen some good actors but that's ruddy genuine."

  Gallaway offered Robin a drugstick. To Robin's surprise she accepted it.

  "First of all I'll need some details. Do you go by Annette, Anne..."

  "R-robin."

  "Good," smiled Gallaway, "Are you Annette Robin Macy, age 28, employed as a data technician at Wrighten Shipping?"

  "Yes ma'am."

  From there Gallaway proceeded into a much more detailed account of Robin's life, from birth to her arrest. She merely confirmed the accident but went into fine detail about Robin's education and grades. Then she faced her squarely.

  "Robin, you've been charged with data theft, unauthorized access to private resources, system penetration and destruction of security. I've filed a discovery for details but the CA thinks it has a solid case against you."

  "But..." Robin felt the room spin, "I... I haven't..."

  Gallaway motioned her to silence. "I belive you, Robin. They may think they have a sealed case against you but I've defended more than one i-jacking since I started working. Yours has the classic signs. Once the discovery clears we'll be able to start deconstructing their case." She looked sympathetically at Robin. "Until then, though, I probably won't be able to get you released. Can you stand another day or three here?"

  "NO!!!" Robin's brain screamed this but she merely nodded.

  "Good. I realize this is a shock to you but stay tough. I'll be back sometime tomorrow or the next day. Until then you keep your mouth shut. They can't question you without me here and I want to know about it if they try."

  "Yes ma'am."

  After giving Robin another 'stick and the time to finish it Gallaway motioned to the guard. He escorted her back to her cell and not long after that the door beeped and a tray slid through a slot on it. Robin devoured the bland food hungrily and slid the tray back through the slot.

  Some time later the guard returned for Robin. This time he led her to an enclosed yard. Robin blinked at the midmorning sun as she shambled outside. When her eyes cleared she saw several dozen other women in the yard with her, some of them eyeing her appraisingly. Afraid to stop, Robin began walking the perimeter of the yard. She felt more than one gaze settle on her but , by some unknown strength, she managed to ignore them and keep walking.

  Robin found another tasteless meal waiting in her cell along with a disposable, pre-soaped cloth. After she ate she made the best bath she could; the sink only yielded a lukewarm trickle and it had no stopper but she made it work.

  Something of the strength Robin found in the courtyard remained with her. She found herself reviewing her past few days' actions. Discounting her actions at Wrighten, LaGrange would simply have fired her had he known, nothing she did should warrant arrest and confinement.

  Every time a high-profile data crime broke news Robin followed it avidly. Though not specifically assigned to security work it still touched her peripherally. Most of the burners caught went after juicy targets: money or sensitive data that could be sold for it. Some tried for government secrets and some tried to burn the CA, all with a consistent lack of success. None of the data she slirped even approached anything thermal; minus the security it was more bland than her last meal.

  That left Thomas' data. She thought, obviously in error, that its owners hadn't traced it to her. That made her nervous. The HIgh-riDER program purported itself capable of obfuscating data past any feasible breaking time but now, sitting in a cell at the CA, Robin began to doubt. At least, she thought, they'd have to work for it! Idly she wondered if he now occupied a cell similar to hers. She almost hoped he did!

  By the time Robin finished her last meal for the day and the lights dimmed she almost convinced herself to summon the guards and relate Thomas' actions. Then Gallaway's admonition came to the fore and she kept quiet. Finally, blessedly, sleep overcame her.

  ***

  Gallaway appeared the next morning after breakfast but before exercise.

  "The discovery went through," she said, somewhat cooler now, "Why don't you tell me what you've been doing lately."

  "My job, ma'am."

  "Besides that." Gallaway produced several documents and had Robin sign and seal them. "These are releases for you to tell me anything, even information covered by NDA or that is confidential. I want details and not just what you've been doing at work."

  Robin started at the beginning of the previous week. When Gallaway didn't stop her she went on to relate the exact data she accessed and what she did with the results. As Robin spoke Gallaway made occasional notes.

  Robin stopped just before the Durastel offer. With another cool gaze from Gallaway she recounted her conversations with Thomas, his frantic data transfer and what she did to find out who he might have burned.

  Gallaway's mouth tightened. "That is... interesting. I hadn't pegged you as a burner."

  "I'm... I'm not. Not really," stammered Robin, "I was just... I was curious. He was my friend."

  Gallaway nodded. "I understand, Robin. I can't condone what you did but I understand why you did it. None of the charges against you involve any of those companies. In fact Leon Railing had nothing but good things to say about you. He offered to help you any way he could. I spoke to him personally and I doubt he'd care about your accessing that data."

  Robin puzzled at this. Railing was LaGrange's supervisor.

  "What about Mr. LaGrange?"

  "He wasn't available for a statement. I didn't want to push too hard on a potentially friendly witness but Railing promised to have him contact me soonest.

  "Now. Tell me what you did the past two days. You handed off all your assignments."

  Robin summarized her work at Durastel then went into detail at Gallaway's insistence.

  "That's odd. There is no record of it. Are you sure it was Durastel?"

  "Yes! I signed and sealed a contract - crypcerted! - and Mr. LaGrange verified it for Wrighten. It should have been filed that afternoon. Before I started!"

  "Well it wasn't. Not at Wrighten, at least. I'll file a request at Durastel. Go over that interview again in as much detail as you can remember." Now Gallaway activated a holocaster.

  Robin gave every bit of detail she could recall, plus extra when Gallaway had a question.

  "I'll start on this as soon as I leave. Your arraignment is this afternoon. I should be able to ROR you if you'll accept a monitor band. Will you?"

  "Yes ma'am. Will I be able to go back to work?"

  Gallaway considered this. "No. I don't think that's a good idea. Considering how closely your work is to the charges... No. Just stay home, or at least within the city."

  Robin nodded.

  ***

  "414-72-b," said the bailiff, "Federation v. Macy. Theft of confidential data, four counts. Unauthorized access to private data, seven counts. Violation of security, eight counts. Fraudulent assumption of identity, sixteen counts. How do you plead?"

  "My client wishes to enter a plea of not guilty," said Gallaway who stood beside Robin.

  The adjudicator checked his terminal.

  "So noted," said the bailiff, "Prosecution?"

  "Maximum sentence on all counts, your honor."

  "So noted. Defense?"

  "Move to dismiss, your honor."

  "Denied," said the adjudicator absentl
y before the bailiff could speak, "Will the prosecution allow bail?"

  "Your honor, these crimes are heinous and represent grievous financial loss to the plaintiffs involved. We wish to stand against bail and request that the defendant be moved to general confinement pending trial."

  "Defense?"

  "Your honor, I believe my client to be the victim of identity theft. She has no prior record and very favorable character references. I move she be released on recognizance until the date of trial."

  The adjudicator looked up. "Prosecution?"

  "Your honor, we will agree subject to personal tracking and monitoring."

  "Defense?"

  "We accept, your honor."

  "So ordered. Thank you gentlemen and lady. Bailiff?"

  ***

  Robin and Gallaway sat at an outdoor cafe blessedly out of sight of the CA building. While Robin finished her - large, flavorful and satisfying - meal Gallaway opened her terminal.

  "There's no record of your employment at Durastel," said Gallaway without preamble.

  "What?!" A good meal plus changing into her own clothes worked wonders for Robin. "I signed a contract! From a crypcert."

  "Neither of which were recorded at Wrighten or Durastel." Gallaway held up her hand to forestall Robin. "I don't doubt you, Robin, but the evidence is against it. Do you have your copy? If I have the hash keys I'll be able to trace the 'cert and undermine their case."

  "Of course! I don't lose of throw away things like that. It's in my apartment unless they took it."

  Gallaway nodded. "Slib. Once we find that it will seal our case solid."

  Robin's apartment door had a CA seal across the lock. She had a card to release it, which it did, but Robin felt a huge burden when her door opened.

  Her apartment was a chaotic mess. Most of her belongings lay strewn about the room with a callous disregard for putting them back. Robin stared a moment in shock before Gallaway gently moved her inside and closed the door.

  "Rutting bastards," said Gallaway with surprising venom, "They'll do anything to demoralize the guilty."

  "But..."

  "I know, Robin, but they think you are."

  Robin checked her desk. Its contents lay in a radius around it but she found her business records after a slight search.

  "It's... It's not here!" Robin checked and re-checked. "All my other stuff is but not that. I swear it was here!"

  Gallaway checked several things then nodded tightly. "Flames. That just means we do this the hard way." She checked her chrono. "I need to leave, Robin. Will you be all right here or do we need to check you into a motel?"

  "I'll be polar." Robin spoke with rising anger.

  "Slib. Keep track of everything and if anything else is missing I want to know about it."

  Robin nodded and Gallaway left.

  Cleaning, tidying and organizing her apartment took Robin well into the evening. Most of her possessions were there but she found a few things missing. They took half a dozen chips containing possible burnware or apps that could be used for it. Some of her personal business records and data were gone. All the chips containing hidden data were still there along with the HIgh-riDER chip itself. Robin gathered them all and put them in their proper places.

  Robin sat in front of her terminal with a strong 'stick and a glass of wine. Her datajack now had a bright red box attached to it with her terminal plugged into that. When Robin powered up her terminal and connected to the net she discovered its purpose.

  "WARNING! This device is subject to monitoring by order of the Nebula Worlds Federation Central Authority. Any attempt to deactivate, bypass, circumvent this monitor is a felony offense. Any or all activity on the device(s) attached to this monitor may be recorded. Authorization 41472B-xo02."

  Robin also noted a small icon indicating the active state of the monitor. That decided her instantly against chat so she checked her email - nothing - and downloaded news modules for the days she'd been incarcerated.

  She didn't really want the newsmods but Robin felt certain that inactivity would be reported as would instantly powering down her terminal. She started reading.

  One article jumped off the screen at Robin. On the night of her arrest Wrighten had been burglarized! The criminals hadn't gotten away with much and Wrighten PR hastened to assure its clients that their data was safe.

  The band around Robin's wrist buzzed and began vibrating. Robin walked to the comm, entered the combo written on the band and held its dataport to the comm's pickup. The screen cleared to a woman in a CA uniform.

  "Macy. Annette Robin."

  The lady looked at her terminal, nodded and terminated the connection.

  Robin leaned forward and rested her head against the cool wall. She swallowed hard against the turbulent knot of emotion forming in her stomach. Then... inspiration! She consulted the directory and entered a combo. The screen cleared to Ted LaGrange.

  "Hello! Ted LaGrange here..."

  "Mr. LaGrange. This is Robin Macy. I really need to..."

  "I can't come to the comm right now but if you'll leave your combo and a short message I'll call you back."

  "... talk."

  Robin terminated the connection before the record cycle started. The band on her arm dragged her down and suddenly the walls seemed to press inward on her. She felt a thousand eyes on her. She knew her terminal was monitored and she had no doubt every milli of her apartment was under surveillance as well. No use trying to find the monitors, removal would count as a felony.

  Robin grabbed her keycard and half-ran out of her apartment. The cool night air calmed her and she embraced it as she walked. As she breathed in the damp fragrances she felt the eyes going away. She still felt the band around her arm but at least now she could bear it. Her feet took her toward the Evening Breeze and she followed them.

  "Signora Macy."

  The voice came from a hovervan parked beside the street. The door opened and two men emerged. Robin recognized the speaker as Claud Everett. He approached her with a warm, welcoming smile. When the light struck him the other man turned into Cyril Aaron.

  "Seigneur Everett," said Robin, trying to keep her voice even as she edged away.

  "I'm told you've had some trouble," continued Everett, "Most unfortunate. I am truly sorry I took so long to contact you but other matters pressed." He slipped his arm under Robin's before she could stop him. "You may rest assured, my dear, we shall soon have this matter resolved. In fact, if you will accompany me now we shall start the process."

  Robin felt a small alarm as Everett pulled her gently toward the hover.

  "Ahh... Thank you, sir, but I don't think..."

  Aaron let his jacked fall open and Robin fell silent, chilled by what she saw.

  Aaron had his hand on a very large blaster. Then he smiled and Robin felt her will drain, replaced by cold terror. She didn't resist as Everett guided her into the hover.

  "I realize," said Everett as the hover navigated the sparse traffic, "this may be somewhat traumatic, my dear, but you must endeavor to let it pass. As I've said I have need of your services. I promise we'll have this small incident handled very quickly."

  Robin didn't speak. Aaron sat facing her with his blaster cradled in his lap. At least he stopped smiling. The hover stopped and settled and after a moment Everett cracked the window. Through it Robin caught a glimpse of a transit station.

  "Now for the first order of business."

  Everett took Robin's hand firmly, slipped a cutter under the monitor band and removed it. It began flashing and buzzing immediately and Robin felt her heart sink into the ground.

  "Nasty piece of work, that," said Everett, placing the band into an insulated and soundproof capsule which he gave to the hand that appeared through the window. "Misdirection, my dear. With luck the CA will follow that all the way to EchoPort."

  Robin tried to swallow, her mouth totally dry.

  "Please understand, dear Robin, this small discourtesy is unfortunately necessary.
"

  Robin might have thought to bold for the door but fear paralyzed her. Everett raised a small tube to her face. With a hiss it spewed out a cloud of vapor. Robin's eyes burned, then her nose, then her throat and finally her lungs. Before long she felt only that burning... burning...

  Blackness.

  ***

  A man gazed at a doubly-locked door. He'd seen it before as well as what lay behind it. He deftly manipulated a small device and both locks popped open. Before entering the door he pulled a small, sheer hood over his head. When he activated it his face and head blurred but none saw. He made certain of that.

  Inside the apartment the man cast his eyes about. His keen mind carefully cataloged every detail of what he saw. To ordinary eyes the room would appear jumbled and disarrayed. This man saw the disorder but he also perceived layers to it. He walked about, idly examining this or that. The monitors reported as soon as he breached the locks but he knew to the second how long he had to complete his task. He exceeded this margin not at all.

  The man carefully relocked the door, walked down the street and vanished into the shadows. As he did so truculent hovers whooshed up and opened to disgorge swarms of men and women, all of whom began searching for clues, for traces. Let them search. The man knew everything they did and more besides. They would not find him.

  As the man walked away he rubbed what little chin he had. Long ago his father told him that would make it grow; the man smiled at this wisp of memory. By the time he finished the short reminiscence a host of details clicked into place.

  The game had just grown more complicated.

  ***

  Robin roused slowly. No beeping alarm meant the weekend and vestiges of horrible nightmares still haunted her. Her mouth and throat, parched beyond belief, had a disgustingly foul taste that exceeded its dryness. That would teach her to drink! The warm light trickling past her eyelids finally dispelled the last of her dreams.

  "Awake, my dear?"

  Robin's eyes snapped open. The ceiling she saw didn't belong in her apartment and neither did the fancy hangings on the walls. She tried to sit up quickly and managed it slowly. A man sat close to the bed, relaxing in a chair that matched the room and definitely not her apartment!