“A big part of every lawyer’s training is knowing that you should never ask a witness a question you don’t already know the answer to.”
“Will you save us from extinction?” she asked resolutely.
“We have not decided.”
“Well, thank you for fuck all.”
“We did warn you. But we don’t believe you will face extinction. We believe in you, Baby Mel. Look at yourself; you’re going to expose the Starflyer with or without our assistance, aren’t you?”
“Oh, yes.”
“We see that determination multiplied by hundreds of billions. You humans are a formidable force.”
“But those hundreds of billions are being systematically deceived and betrayed. That’s different; it’s destroying our focus.”
“We judge the structure of your society incorporates a great many self-correcting mechanisms, both small and large scale.”
“That’s all we are to you, isn’t it? Lab rats running around in a box for you to study.”
“Mellanie, we are you. Don’t forget that. Many parts of us are downloaded human minds.”
“So what?”
“That segment of us which interfaces with you is fond of you. Trust us, Mellanie. But most of all, trust in your own species.”
Mellanie’s golden virtual hand slapped down on the SI icon, ending the call. She spent several minutes in the dark considering what it had said. Since Randtown she’d regarded it to be like some ultra-modern version of a guardian angel. Now that fantasy was well and truly erased. It left her shaky and uncertain.
She’d always thought the Commonwealth would defeat the Starflyer and MorningLightMountain. It would be a tough fight, but they would definitely win. While she worked with Alessandra she’d met dozens of senators and their aides, she knew the way they were always hunting for a vote and an angle; but despite that they were tough and smart, they could be depended on in any true emergency. And they were backed up by the SI: an infallible combination. Now that ultimate assurance had been kicked right out from under her. Dr. Friland had been right to question the SI’s motives. It was the first time she’d ever known anyone to be skeptical about the great planetsized intelligence. Briefly, she wondered what he knew; and how. That was one story she wouldn’t be chasing for some time.
She told her e-butler to call the onetime code that Stig had given her. The narrow-band link was established almost immediately, giving her an audio-only connection.
“You must be Mellanie Rescorai,” a man’s voice said; there was no accompanying identity file.
“Sure. And you?”
“Adam Elvin.”
“You’re one of the people Paula Myo is chasing.”
“You’ve heard of me. I’m flattered.”
“You can’t prove you’re Elvin, though.”
“Nor can you prove you’re Rescorai.”
“You knew my name; you knew Stig gave me this code.”
“Fair point. So what can I do for you, Mellanie?”
“I know the Starflyer is real. Alessandra Baron is one of its agents.”
“Yes, Stig told me. Can you prove it?”
Mellanie sighed. “Not easily, no. I know she covered up irregularities in the Cox Charity which funded Dudley Bose’s observation. But there’s no proof left.”
“Something I’ve learned down the decades, young Mellanie: there’s always proof to be found if you look hard enough.”
“So is that what you want me to do? And don’t call me that, young Mellanie, it’s really patronizing.”
“I apologize. The last thing I wish to do now is antagonize a potential ally. Stig said that you wanted to link up with the Guardians.”
“I do, yes. I feel like I’m completely in the dark here.”
“I can sympathize. We do have a slight problem with establishing credentials, as I’m sure you understand.”
“It’s a mutual problem.”
“Okay, well, I’m prepared to exchange information with you that’ll help forward our cause, without compromising any of my people. How does that sound?”
“Good. My first question is do you know anything about the killer at LA Galactic? That could be the key to getting me in with Paula Myo.”
“You know Myo?”
“Not well. She keeps stonewalling me.” Mellanie looked across the dark room to the bed, where the sheet outlined Dudley’s sleeping form. “But she was the one who put me on to Dr. Bose. That’s how I found out about the Cox charity.”
“That’s news. Does Myo accept the Starflyer is real?”
“I’m not sure. She’s always very cagey around me.”
“That sounds like the Paula Myo I know. So to answer your question, the killer is called Bruce McFoster. He is—or was—a wetwired Starflyer agent: originally a clan member on Far Away who was converted after he got injured and captured on a raid. Don’t ask how the Starflyer does that; we’re not sure. Bradley Johansson says it’s not nice.”
“Okay, thanks. I’m going to keep on investigating the Cox. I’ll tell you if I uncover any hard evidence.”
“What we’d really like to know is who has the information that our courier was carrying when he was killed at LA Galactic. If you can buddy up to Myo, you might like to ask her.”
“I will.”
“A word of warning. You know she’s from the Hive?”
“Yes.”
