Erebus (18 page)

The “incident” was looking like someone had decided to blow up the damn moon to destroy the artifact—which led to the question of why. It was easily the most important discovery since the development of our own gateways. Drayton didn’t look like she had a clue past being sent there to watch the probe being deployed into the pagoda. If it worked anything like gateways and gateships, then that probe was still on its way to wherever it was going. We needed to find out who wanted the artifact gone and why.

“I take it
Han Xin’s
had no luck picking through Io’s rubble?” I asked, putting aside Cheng’s and my ethical debate, a little reluctantly, for the moment. As soon as we had watched Drayton’s download, we had reassigned the other explorer ship we had in the Jupiter system to examine the debris of the moon for any surviving wreckage from the artifact.

“None,” Frampton said sadly. I bet the fellow would have loved to have gotten his paws on it. “
Magellan
came in on almost the exact opposite side of the moon to the Eston Mons facility. When the ship blew through, it obliterated that whole region. It could be that was the intention in the first place.”

We had reviewed every piece of information that Drayton had sent us. We found no suggestion of any destination for where the probe might be heading and no cultural information about whoever built it. Nothing.

“So, what are we going to do about this?” Cheng said, regarding the spinning hologram of the alien spike driven into the heart of Io.

“Not to sound cliché, but people have killed for this,” I said. “We have to go one way or the other. Full disclosure on open channels or…”

“Or we wait to see what we actually have here,” Vance finished.

We all looked at each other; I could practically see the cogs whirring. Some of them were undoubtedly considering how they could keep the information for their own governments. The silence was getting pretty awkward—like a kind of verbal Mexican stand-off, every person waiting to see what the others had to say.

“So,” I buckled, “has anyone ever seen anything like this before?”

“No.” Frampton seemed as relieved to break the impasse as I was. “Or at least to our knowledge.” Vance rolled her eyes but let him continue. “I mean, of course, there were the Tau Ceti reports from the
Endeavour
mission that suggested that there may once have been some kind of advanced technological civilization there, but nothing physical was ever found, just hints in the geological processes of the planet.”

“And rumor has it that the same crew is currently exploring another star system that may have extant intelligence,” Sihota said. “Although, that information has mostly been garnered through scuttlebutt. Attempts to corroborate suggest that the life they found may be intelligent but not advanced.”

“So not ancient aliens capable of building an interstellar gateway, then,” I said rhetorically. “Maybe we should ask Frain what his take on all this is.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Vance said.

At that moment, a group-link request appeared. It was Cerise. “Hello. Does anyone know a Connie Miles?”

Wearily, we looked at each other. Connie Miles was a news correspondent and famously incisive talking head for Earth-Wide News. In other words, trouble. With a dubious tone, I said, “Hi, Cerise. Yeah, I’ve heard of her. What does she want?”

“She’s requesting an interview with the investigation team.”

“Give her my compliments, but tell her we’re a little busy right now,” I replied.

“I thought you would say that and already told her you were.” She smiled. Damn that smile.

“And?” I asked.

“She said she has authority from the Jupiter Alliance press office. They’ve told her she can have access for some questions.”

I looked around the room. Just about everyone’s eyes were rolling.

“Can you run the request through the JAS press office again, please? Seriously, we’re not in the right place now for this.”

“Layton, even Voice Patrice has spoken on the Linked Consensus for the need to have some information coming out of the investigation teams. The decision has been made,” Cerise announced firmly.

“Okay. I’ll get back to you in five.” I closed down the link. “I guess the damn media was going to catch up with us eventually.”

“Yeah.” Vance’s tone was uncharacteristically pensive. “Looks like we’re going to have to throw someone to the wolves.”

“Well-volunteered, Vance.” I grinned.

“Ha. I don’t think so, Trent. My bosses wouldn’t take kindly to me appearing in the news.”

“Cheng?”

“Same deal, I’m afraid.”

“Sihota?” I knew my voice was taking on a slightly pleading tone.

“So far, I’ve just been the designated driver,” he shrugged. “They will just request another interview if they’re not satisfied.”

“Come on, Dexter.” I smiled in my most winning way. “Big moment to appear on VR?”

“He definitely isn’t,” Vance cut in just as Frampton opened his mouth. He closed it again with a disappointed look on his face. “Stop trying to worm out of it. You know you’re the only one of our team who can do it. Us spooky types aren’t going to, that’s for damn sure.”

“Great.”

“Relax, Inspector, I’m not going to throw you any lowballs.” Connie was seated across from me, trying to be reassuring. Unfortunately for me, I still had the feeling I was a mouse being played with by a cat.

We were in the university’s small VR studio where presumably the students put together presentations. I was sitting on a chair in the center of small round stage, surrounded by cameras, microphones, and the other claptrap needed to create a VR holo talk show.

“Look, I really need to get back to work soon. Can we please get this over with?” I was squirming in my seat. Truth be told, it wasn’t just that I didn’t want to do the interview; I considered it a waste of time. I could be putting Frain through the ringer.

“Sure.” She glanced at a timer counting down on the wall to her left. “We’ll be going live in thirty seconds. Have you had a chance to go over your question sheet?”

“What question sheet?” I asked, confused.

“The one I sent to your HUDmail.”

Goddamn it! I quickly opened up my mailbox and saw nothing of the sort in there. I tried to keep on top of my HUDmail, but I was falling behind with all the work going on. Still… “I didn’t get any emails from you…” I trailed off. I remembered I had been spammed by loads of emails from Earth-Wide News after subscribing to their newsletter years ago and assigned them to my autoblock. I just had time to open up my junk folder on my HUD where I saw a closed envelope icon blinking in my field of view from Connie Miles, EWN. Great.

“It’s too late now. Don’t worry. There’s nothing too complicated in there. Five seconds.”

I watched as the counter went to zero. I straightened myself up and crossed my legs, trying to appear relaxed and confident.

“Good evening. This is Connie Miles from EWN with a live report from Jupiter space,” she said smoothly in a stage voice that was richer and more cultured than her norm. “I’m currently in the Io incident investigation team’s headquarters at Concorde University. With me tonight is Inspector Layton Trent, formerly of The Hague War Crimes Investigation division, now attached to the system task force. Thank you for taking the time to be interviewed tonight.”

“That’s my pleasure, Connie.” I smiled falsely at her.

“As you are undoubtedly more aware of than most, a lot of people are concerned about what has been dubbed the
Io Incident
. An attack of this kind, and we are clear from the
Magellan
recordings that it was an attack, is completely unprecedented. Can you tell us the current state of your investigation?”

“We arrived a few days ago, and we’re already making some significant strides, Connie,” I said, trying to sound a hell of a lot more comfortable than I felt. “The primary focus of our investigation to this point has been interviewing the survivors from Io and the
Magellan
—”

“And can you tell me what these ‘significant strides’ are?” she interrupted.

“I’m sure you’ll understand that, for operational reasons, I can’t. It’s too early in the investigation to let out any sensitive information that we have, but the people back home and in space can rest assured that we are making progress.” What the hell was the point in me being here? She must know that I couldn’t tell her jack!

“Completely understood, Inspector. Something I’m sure we’re all very interested to know, though, is, Why Io?”

“There are a number of theories on that one,”
not that I’m going to be able to tell you any of the leading ones at the moment.
And no way was I going to talk about whatever the hell had been down there. “All of which are just that, theories. I don’t think it would be helpful for me to discuss any of them at the moment.”

“Are there any leading ideas about who has done this?”

“Connie, I’m not going to name names or organizations that may have responsibility in this incident. It’s too early. It would be irresponsible of me to start rumors before all the facts are in. What I will say is that the JAS has agreed that The Hague will have jurisdiction in trialing any defendants, whether it is the work of individuals or a group.”

“And if it were to be a nation-state?” The reporter leaned forward, a wolfish look in her eyes.

“Well, that is why we have representatives of many countries on the teams. Resolving that question would be one for governments, not the judiciary.”

“I’m sure you understand the thrust of the question, Inspector. If a nation were responsible, what actions would be taken against them?”

I was beginning to get an inkling of EWN’s editorial agenda; Connie was pursuing it doggedly. I knew what she wanted to hear, but I’d be damned if I was going to actually say it. “Connie, the primary focus for my team is finding those responsible.”

“Would punitive action would be taken? Do you think we could be looking at the first strike in a war?” she asked, not giving me any time to fully answer the first question.

“I’m afraid that is a little beyond my pay grade,” I said as firmly as I could, trying not to stare daggers at the reporter.

“Sources indicate,” she said, moving on smoothly, “that you currently have several people in custody. Can you tell us anything about their involvement?”

How the hell did she know that? Things were a little too leaky in the docking port and on campus for my taste, but it wasn’t as if we could extraordinarily rendition people around Jupiter space.

“We have a number of people assisting us with our enquiries. As soon as I complete this interview, I will be returning to work and asking them questions. Let me emphasize that they are
assisting
us in our investigation.” That should cover it in case they turned out to be dud leads; although, I doubted it.

“Very well. Now I want to discuss…”

It was a long hour.

***

“Well done,” Vance grinned at me. I was back in the operations center, feeling like I’d gone a few rounds with a prize fighter. “Have you considered a career in politics? I think you managed the full hour without actually saying a single damn thing she didn’t know already.”

I grunted an affirmative. “Yeah, she was pretty pissed off about that after the end of the interview.”

“You do have that effect on people.” Vance gave a wink.

“Next time,” I scowled at her, “it’s your bloody turn.”

Frain’s impassive face loomed large on the monitor. He didn’t seem to give a damn he was in custody, flanked by two officers armed with rather large guns and nervous dispositions. The room he was in would have made minimalist look cluttered. A single chair was situated in the middle of the whitewashed room. As long as I had been watching him, he hadn’t moved a single damned millimeter.

I looked at my HUD, comparing pictures of the real Frain to this imposter in front of us. They were identical in every way. Maybe some of the crow’s feet at the corner of his eyes were different, but that could just as well have been my imagination.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” I looked over and saw Vance next to me.

“Why do you ask?”

“I know what happened in Sahelia,” she said simply. I shouldn’t have been surprised.

“I won’t let it affect anything, Vance.” And I was telling the truth. The best way of getting revenge for Dev would be to do as damn good a job as possible, not take meaningless and temporary revenge by punching Frain in the face or something equally unproductive.

“Very well,” Vance nodded.

Cheng and I weren’t exactly bosom buddies at the moment, but we were still the best lineup to go in and have a chat with Frain. Both of us had the most face time in investigative interviewing, or in Cheng’s case, something a little firmer than mere questioning.

Automatically, we took up positions in front of him, me to his right, Cheng to his left, far enough apart that when he looked at one of us, the other was out of view. It was a cheap psychological trick, but it usually worked.

“I know you’re not Xander Frain. I know that Xander Frain is dead. So, why don’t you tell me your real name?” I began.

Frain’s head swung round slowly, and he fixed me with his eyes. I could practically see the tactical software weighing me, measuring me, and clearly finding me wanting. His head swung back to dead ahead. “My name is Xander Frain.”

“Okay, Xander.” I regarded the cool customer in front of me, who seemed intent on continuing his game. “What brought you to the Jupiter system?”

“I’m an AI software consultant. I specialize in Turing-level intelligence, and I’m here for work.”

“I think you misunderstand us,” Cheng said in a harsh tone. “As my colleague here has already explained, we know you are an imposter, and we know you had something to do with the Io Incident. We also know that you have a great many enhancements and augmentations. Now, please stop wasting our time and start answering our questions.”

Frain’s head had turned to Cheng and remained locked on him. Cheng looked back, his twinkly-eye mode well and truly switched off in favor of a cold, hard look.