Judas Unchained

“You know what you’ve got, don’t you?” He couldn’t think what it would be that made her keep it private.

“Do you want my help, or not?”

“Yeah,” he sighed. “I could swear the Guardians I brought with me were on the level.”

Paula rolled onto her back and closed her eyes. It made her look very frail. “Start at the beginning; absolute basics. You know you aren’t a Starflyer agent, right?”

“Yeah, right.”

“Very well. Until you have definite proof of a person’s innocence, you can trust no one in the group.”

“Even you?”

“I told you before, I’ve been trying to stop Johansson for a hundred thirty years. For the purpose of this exercise, you must consider me suspect. I know I’m not, but I cannot physically prove that to you.”

“You’ve got one fucking morbid world view, Investigator, I’ll tell you that for nothing. Go on, how do I rule people out?”

“The sabotage most likely occurred after we joined your group.”

“Yeah. I was involved with packing and loading those crates. It would have been difficult to maser the contents of one back in the warehouse, let alone four.”

“Okay then.” Paula started coughing; her body juddered around on the bunk so alarmingly that Adam started to reach for her to hold her down. She waved his hand away as the coughing subsided. “I’m all right.”

“No you’re not. Jesus, have you been poisoned? Is that it?”

“No. Just give me some water, please.”

Adam found a bottle of mineral water in one of the lockers. It was painful to watch the Investigator trying to swallow; she took such small sips it was like a baby feeding.

“So start with your Guardians,” she said. “Can anyone on this world vouch for them in complete confidence? If not, the Starflyer could have had access to them the way he did with Kazimir McFoster’s friend and murderer.”

“Bruce. Damnit, yes, I’ll try and check; but the only link we’ve got is a short wave, don’t forget, it’s not exactly secure. Even then, who can vouch for every minute of someone’s life?”

“I know. As for the navy arrest team, they come from the same Paris office as Tarlo, who was corrupted several years ago. If the Starflyer can get Tarlo, then in theory it could get to anyone there.”

“That was your office,” he said in mounting unease.

“It was, yes. Like I said, don’t rule me out through sentiment or belief that I am incorruptible. You must be logical.”

“All right. What about the others, Cat’s Claws?”

“Firstly, they have been out of contact behind enemy lines. What happened to them there is unknowable. Then again, they are all extremely dangerous criminals. Perhaps they did this to further their own agenda.”

“Jesus H. Christ. That’d be just dandy right now, another group out to wreck us.”

“It’s a remote possibility, but bear it in mind. The most unusual pair we have with us are Qatux and Tiger Pansy.” She coughed again, and flopped her head down on the thin pillow. “Frankly, I can’t think Qatux is a Starflyer agent, but then he’s not the most reliable or normal Raiel citizen, and his insistence on coming with us is unusual. Plausible, but odd. As for Tiger Pansy, remember Mata Hari.”

“She was a dancer and courtesan. With respect, Tiger Pansy isn’t quite that exalted.”

“You know your history. I’m impressed; that’s not in your file.”

“Hidden depths, me, Investigator. So what do we do with Tiger Pansy?”

“Class her as a definite unknowable. If she is our saboteur, then I think we’ve already lost. But again, it’s your decision.”

“All right, that leaves us with the two Kimes and Oscar.”

“All of whom were on board the Second Chance. We know there was a Starflyer agent on board. Therefore: all suspect.”

“Right,” he said brokenly. “I really am on my own.” Then he realized he actually wasn’t, that there was one small fact that Paula didn’t know about. He smiled, and nearly began to tell her. Then stopped. First, he really didn’t know for sure that she wasn’t the Starflyer agent. All he had was his gut feeling that she couldn’t be, not the Paula Myo. Which isn’t good enough to decide the outcome of a war. And second, the Investigator couldn’t be allowed to know.

“What?” She was looking at him.

“Nothing. So if I can’t check individuals for motive, I have to go for opportunity, don’t I?”

“Very good, Elvin. By my reckoning, it had to take place during the Carbon Goose flight. The trucks were unguarded during a nine-hour flight, when anyone could get onto the cargo deck without being seen.” Paula’s voice had been weakening, now her eyes closed. “I need to sleep,” she said. “I’m very cold.”

“I need you to keep going just a moment longer, please. There were people on the cargo deck.” He twisted the locks on the medical kit and pulled out a diagnostic array.

“Including you and me for a lot of the time. Which is why only four crates were sabotaged. The Starflyer agent couldn’t risk an extended process; they might have been seen.”

Adam put a diagnostic patch on her clammy forehead and ran the program. “Why didn’t they just blow us up?”