Judas Unchained

“Please don’t be offended, Senator. It’s just that habits, both good and bad, become ingrained over a hundred thirty years. And I am a creature of habit.”

“Very well, I’ll see what I can do. But listen, CST is searching Narrabri station in case the Starflyer is already in place. If the security teams close in on you, for heaven’s sake call me. The last thing we need is for us to be shooting at each other.”

“Thank you, Senator. I am not so prideful as to risk everything we have achieved on a point of stubborn principle. If we are in trouble, I will shout for help very loudly indeed.”

“I’ll get back to you.”

Bradley smiled, his eyes focused on the far end of the shed. Adam groaned in dismay, resting his forehead on the huge steel wheel. “I can’t believe you just did that. Paula Myo? You’ve got to be fucking joking. As soon as she sees you or me, she’ll blow our brains out. She has no choice; her DNA won’t let her do anything else.”

“Nonsense, Adam, you must have more faith in human nature.”

“She squealed on her own parents, for God’s sake.”

“They weren’t her parents, though, were they? They were her kidnappers.”

“Oh for—We had it. We were there. Burnelli was offering us legitimacy, and you blew it. So much for not being prideful. Damnit!” He slapped the wheel in frustration.

“Adam, Adam, have you no negotiating skills? Investigator Myo is the opening gambit. It would be lovely if she did agree, but I expect we’ll wind up with a two-minute call from Nigel Sheldon or some other high-placed player.”

Adam groaned again, sounding like an injured animal. “I don’t need this extra stress. I really don’t.”

“It won’t be much longer, I think we can both be sure of that.”

The CST exploratory division wormhole at Narrabri station followed the usual layout: An isolated building away from the commercial sector, where the big environment confinement chamber was grafted onto the gateway. The Operations Center and all the associated support team offices formed a protective honeycomb around the outside.

Paula stood on the floor of the environment chamber waiting for the wormhole to be aligned. Nigel stood at her side, his mouth raised in a soft smile as he looked at the fuzzy bubble of air that was the force field capping the wormhole.

“Always gives me a buzz,” he confessed to the Investigator. “People just take this for granted so much these days, nobody appreciates the technology and energy sitting behind a gateway.”

“Making the extraordinary appear commonplace is the ability of true genius.”

“Thank you, Paula. Tell me, would you consider marrying me?”

“You ask me that every time we meet.”

“What do you answer every time?”

“No thank you.”

“Ah well, I’m sorry. And I won’t wipe this time from my memory. You must think me appallingly boorish to have done so before.”

Paula gave him a sly look. “If you ever did.” The slight flush above his collar was confirmation enough for her. “What did Heather say about the Starflyer infiltration?” she asked.

“Let’s just say she’s not a very happy person today. Christabel helped her save some face with the precautions she’s already instigated. Good move on your part alerting her.”

“It was Renne Kampasa who knocked on the door.”

“The one who died on Illuminatus?”

“She suffered bodyloss, yes.”

Nelson and Mellanie walked into the chamber. Paula was about to greet them when another woman came through the open airlock. She walked carefully, balancing on platform shoes that added over ten centimeters to her height. Paula froze in surprise.

“This is Tiger Pansy,” Mellanie said. She sounded proud, as if she was introducing a sister who’d made good.

“Real pleased I’m sure,” Tiger Pansy said around her gum. She smiled at Paula. “Hey, I know you, you’re that famous Investigator, right. I was wanting to play your character in Murderous Seduction, but Jaycee gave it to Slippy Gwen-Hott instead. Shame, that.”

Paula had absolutely no idea how to reply. She looked at Nigel for guidance. He seemed indecently pleased at her discomfort.

“Delighted to have you here, Tiger Pansy,” Nigel said with perfect civility.

“Oh, wow, it really is you.”

“This,” Paula sputtered at Mellanie, “this is the person you found for Qatux?”

“Of course,” Mellanie said. “Tiger Pansy is perfect.”

Paula took a breath, and gave the porn starlet a close look. Tiger Pansy was combing at her wild red hair with three-centimeter gold and purple fingernails. Her facial skin was leathery, with a sheen that betrayed inexpert reprofiling treatments that not even her excessive makeup was able to conceal. She’d squeezed into a henna-colored skirt that only came halfway to her knees; a black blouse had the top three buttons undone. Paula was sure Tiger Pansy was wearing an uplift bra. She really didn’t need to. “Do you know what you’re supposed to be doing?” Paula asked.

“Yeah, Mellanie explained it all to me. It’s kinda weird, but what the hell. It ain’t fucking a D.O.L. for a living. Right?” She giggled loudly, a sound reminiscent of a sea lion mating call.