by M. D. Hall
Trang was visibly surprised. ‘Could it be the Avatar?’
Again, he shook his head. ‘It had the ability, just like me, but it wasn’t responsible.’
’So, there’s someone else on board that we don’t know, and who didn’t want the Avatar to carry out your order.’
Now he nodded.
‘Do you think they’re dangerous?’
‘I’ve no idea,’ he replied, ‘but I think not, after all, they didn’t stop what happened to Kirion, and we’re both still here.’
‘Is there anything else you haven’t told me,’ Gorn shook his head. ‘Then,’ she continued, ‘as we can’t do anything about our mystery person, let’s talk about Narol.’ The next thirty minutes were spent discussing how best to get the information to her. After various proposals, all doomed to failure, were aired they agreed that the best route was the most direct one. Gorn, alone, would speak to her.
‘Now it’s time for a friend to take centre stage,’ Gorn sighed.
‘Do you want me to stay?’ Trang asked.
’No,’ he replied, repelling an inexplicable sadness that was threatening to descend upon him, ‘I want you as far away as possible, you’ve got fifteen minutes. Go to the REC chamber, I want you surrounded by lots of people when this happens.’
‘Darl wants us confined to quarters.’
‘With everything that’s happened, and about to happen, he’ll be too busy to analyse your explanation that you needed lots of human company.’
‘Assuming this works, when will you approach Narol?’
‘Meet me back here in three hours.’
Trang nodded and made her way to the door.
Ω
Zan, as tactical officer, had command of all shock troop deployment on board ship. Having received his orders directly from Darl, he was now carrying out final checks. Fifteen, very experienced men were chosen. Their orders were clear, all weapons were to be set to maximum, and programmed as instructed.
Satisfied they were ready, he gave the command to proceed. There was to be a complete communications blackout until the mission was complete, which meant any communication that might alter the commander’s orders would not be received until it was too late. Darl had decided, on balance that this was the safest course.
The use of teleports was not an issue, as they had been taken out of commission following the death of Kirion. Six of the troops were to make their way to the quarters of Garnoth's agents, and at a prearranged time force entry and place them under close arrest.
Darl was at a safe distance, but would join them once they effected entry, despite Zan’s concerns as to his safety.
The nine remaining taciturn men followed the tactical officer, secure in the knowledge that if his plan failed, they would all die.
Ω
‘No thoughts?’ Garnoth then shrugged. ‘Then let us return to the traitor, or traitors. As it is possible that he, she or they are on other ships, how do you propose we proceed?’ It seemed as though he was content to let Tala formulate the plan.
She obliged. ‘I have to admit, I’m disappointed. The ones we’re looking for might be out of harms way for the moment, but at least we can establish the culpability of this crew, and two thirds of the advance party.’
‘You are not convincing, Tala,’ the old man responded. ‘Despite your logic, you are convinced our quarry is on board Eclipse.’
‘Security on Telluria was directly under my control, and I was aware of the only breach.’
‘The Tellurian female, Corcoran?’
‘Yes, had there been another I’m reasonably certain I would have known. You taught me that every theory must permit of alternatives, hence my original proposition, but for all practical purposes, we can limit our search to the crew…’
‘Go on.’
‘You are a careful, and cautious man.’
There was no response.
‘You…’ she looked over to the Avatar, ‘would have monitored all communications from the other ships?’
It nodded. ‘There were no suspicious communications made from any ship to the planet.’
‘Would it be easier to circumvent your security routines from this ship rather than the others?’ she asked.
‘Yes, any communication from the other ships could not have been hidden, as their communications were limited to inter ship. Even communication with Te’ath was restricted to Eclipse, save for emergencies. It would be theoretically possible to hide a communication within a legitimate signal, but most unlikely, and at the time of the incidents on Telluria I can tell you that there were no communications from this ship other than those involving yourself, Garnoth and Darl, and they were after the interference you are alluding to.’
Garnoth looked grave. ‘It would seem Tala, your confidence notwithstanding, that the actual incursion was limited to our operatives on the planet. I need to examine everything you did while on Telluria. Somewhere in your memories may lie the key we seek. We know the conspiracy was beyond a single person’s capability, so we cannot discount the presence of a traitor on board this ship. Indeed it is highly likely, however, the implementation of their plan must have been on Telluria. From that analysis we can…’
Ω
The Avatar watched and listened impassively, as this conversation continued, and by virtue of his control of the Avatar, Gorn also watched and listened, but not impassively. Soon his plans would coalesce and then it would be over, or at least this chapter would close.
Tala, was closer to the truth than the colleague she venerated, but in a short while, even she would be unable to trace anything back to him. When the Avatar’s involvement became known, suspicion would fall elsewhere and the trail would end.
A number of things troubled him. He had hoped his race had been reprieved because the Custodians saw some promise in his people, despite all they had done. If that was right, why were only two thirds of the Tellurian garrison sent to Eclipse? He knew that none of garrison had anything to do with the failure of the mission, so had the remaining third been sent to the other ships, and if so, why? If not, where were they? As for Tala, she would have made no difference had she arrived at the same time as the others, so what was behind the twenty-four hour delay?
Ω
Garnoth decided they should take a short break. Rising from his chair, he walked over to the dispenser to refresh their drinks. No sooner had he finished, than a request to enter his rooms was received from Darl, whose face, floating within the holo-sphere, was grim.
The older man considered the request, before politely declining. He turned from the image, a vivid reminder to the commander that his authority did not extend to the Agency, and this audience was at an end. Whatever Darl wishes to discuss can wait until Tala and I have finished. I will deal with him tomorrow.
He anticipated several more hours debriefing his former student, and as he was about to take his seat was more than a little surprised to see the image of the commander still displayed. Irritated, he was about say something to make the wretched man depart, when Darl spoke again. ‘I’m sorry Garnoth, but this will not wait.’
No sooner was the last word uttered than the doors opened, and a tall muscular man with ebony skin entered the room, swiftly followed by nine shock troops, all with weapons drawn. The troops fanned out through Garnoth’s quarters, splitting themselves into groups of three, one for each of the room’s occupants. Tala found herself looking across the barrels of energy weapons - whatever the perceived threat, it was too great for the use of stun tubes - into the eyes of the man who, unlike his companions wore a bridge officer’s uniform bearing the insignia of Tactical Weapons officer. Of all the newcomers, he was the only one unarmed.
A quick glance at the others confirmed that they were each far enough apart to discourage any attempt at disarmament. She knew that the slightest aggressive move would trigger the automated activation and firing of the weapons. The last thing she would ever know would be preparing the move that would be her last.<
br />
Garnoth and the Avatar were similarly compromised.
The tactic, Tala knew, was a textbook detainment technique, only ever employed when the detainees were considered extremely dangerous. She also knew that there was at least one person missing, the interrogator. As if to assuage her curiosity, a single figure entered the room, Darl.
‘I would have preferred things to be different Garnoth, but you left me with no choice.’ Before the spymaster had an opportunity to reply, the commander turned to the Avatar and asked. ‘Were you responsible for shutting down the suppression field that held the Tellurian female captive?’
The Avatar had watched the entry of the armed troops with detachment. They formed no immediate danger to its former master and even if they did, there were too many of them to be neutralised. It was not under any compunction, under normal circumstances, to answer to anyone but Garnoth. Ordinarily, it would seek guidance from him before answering any question that might compromise his position. Without regard for Garnoth, it answered. ‘I released the Tellurian female, knowing this would relinquish any constraints upon the instrument, Hugo Black.’
All eyes were on the Avatar, which appeared oblivious to the chaos it had just unleashed. It analysed all relevant data quicker than the humans around it could blink. What it had said was correct, yet it was totally unaware of those actions, until now. Nothing in its analysis shed any light on why it had done this thing, or why it was compelled to voice its involvement.
Unrestricted by the limitations of human sight, it was capable of observing all occupants of the room, without moving. Thus it was unnecessary to look at its former master to observe him. The machine knew the instruction to sabotage the Telluria mission had not come from Garnoth, it also knew that others might reasonably conclude that he was, nevertheless, the progenitor of the idea.
The Avatar raced through its programs and subroutines at a speed incomprehensible to a human mind. In less time than it would take Garnoth to turn his head, it knew everything. It had found what it had sought, and knew the identity of the human who had used it as a feron’s paw.
It did not possess emotions, despite all the time it had spent with that most human of humans, Garnoth. With the knowledge of what it had done, and what it was about to do, it could not find an adequate description of the experience. As for the one who had infiltrated its systems? It could neither hate, nor admire the individual whose identity it was not permitted to disclose.
Darl, without taking his eyes from the Avatar, asked slowly and precisely, as if to ensure there could be no misunderstanding. ‘Who ordered you to perform this act?’
Without pausing, it answered. ‘I acted upon the express instruction of my master, Garnoth.’
The Avatar was aware of its imminent destruction, and that all it had been was soon to be no more. It reasoned that such an outcome was wrong, and something of its consciousness should remain. There were many logical reasons for this conclusion, but at no time did it consider its reasoning to be an act of desperation, worthy of any sentient being facing oblivion. With a speed not even its tormentor could comprehend, it sought a means to preserve some part of itself.
In the split second before the Avatar hurled itself at the armed shock troops, Tala thought she saw its eyebrows rise ever so slightly, as if registering surprise or hope. She had no sooner formed the thought than it was all over.
The machine was able to move far too quickly for any human response, and would have been capable of taking the lives of the three men whose weapons were trained upon it, before they had any inkling of what was happening. However, fortunately for the men, aware as they were of the nature of their quarry, their weapons were set to automatically respond with a speed matching the Avatar.
Garnoth’s twin faced the impossible task of outracing three other machines. As soon as it made it's first movement towards the troops, the sensors within the weapons reacted with equally deadly speed. The guns of the three guards fired as one, upon the advancing machine. An incandescent ellipse enveloped the Avatar, flared briefly then was gone. Nothing remained.
Tala looked at Garnoth, who appeared neither surprised nor moved.
She felt a compulsion, driven by self-preservation, to distance herself from her mentor. The old man could see it in her eyes and smiled. In that smile, Tala saw his recognition of the inevitable; no matter how this situation resolved itself, he was finished. She bowed her head in a final act of deference and stepped very carefully backwards.
The greatest and deadliest of spymasters resigned himself to his fate and sat down, suddenly looking older than his long years.
Ω
Why, Darl asked himself, did the Avatar virtually self-destruct? It left us with no choice. He had to admit that he fully expected Garnoth's machine double to obfuscate. The programming of any other machine would not allow for that, but Garnoth’s Avatar, that was something entirely different. For Garnoth not to cover his tracks he must have thought he was beyond discovery.
The difficulty Darl now faced was that months from home he needed the matter to be fully investigated, and the only person qualified to carry this out was Garnoth's subordinate. How can I be sure she wasn’t involved? I can’t, but as her head is on the block for allowing things to unravel, it’s unlikely that she would have conspired in her own failure.
So it was that, even before Garnoth was led away, Darl appointed Tala to conduct a full investigation of the treasonous acts of her superior. She accepted the appointment, without hesitation.
Garnoth looked on, Good girl, he thought. This would secure her position within the Agency. If she did her job correctly, and he had no doubt of that, she would find a cogent case for making the facts fit the theory. It no longer mattered to him that he had been played like a fine musical instrument. His only regret? The improbability of discovering the wondrous mind behind everything that had transpired. He would of course, mention this to Tala during her questioning of him, but he had little hope of her uncovering the truth.
Of one thing he was certain, this did not bear the signature of the Custodians. They had no need for tricks and subterfuge, this was the handiwork of someone distinctly more human, and it also confirmed Tala's theory. The rebel was part of the ship’s crew, for while the reprogramming of his Avatar could have taken place at any time before they boarded, only someone on the ship would be aware of the imprisonment of the Tellurian female. None of the advance force, had been party to the decision to restrain her. While he could not discount the possibility of communication from the Avatar to a confederate on Telluria, the technician and guards with ‘hands on’ responsibility were not senior enough to have the knowledge that would be a threat. He was in no doubt, the information could only have circulated within the confines of the ship.
Despite being resigned to his fate, the professional in him wanted to see this through, directly. Faced with the impossibility of that scenario, he could at least pass his thoughts on to Tala who, despite her official approach, would not let it rest.
Tala watched her mentor being led out of his quarters. Once he was out of sight, Darl approached her, three of the troops remaining close by. She made a point of looking at the armed guard, as she spoke. ‘Forgive me, commander, but I might be forgiven for thinking you didn’t trust me.’
‘What…’ he replied distractedly, looking around, ‘oh them, you know shock troops, give them an order and they stick to it, no imagination at all,’ he spoke without regard for whether they heard him. He dismissed them and the two were alone. ‘I have no doubts over your loyalty but I must be candid, if I could have chosen someone else, I would.’
‘Because of my history with Garnoth, you can’t be sure I will be impartial in my investigation.’
‘Quite,’ he replied.
Tala needed time to think this through. She walked over to the dispenser, and poured herself a drink, without asking Darl if he would like to join her. He gave no indication that he noticed the slight, but from her point of view it
demonstrated that she did not care what he thought. Had there been the slightest evidence implicating her in Garnoth's apparent treachery, they would not be having this conversation. Also, by admitting she was not his first choice, he had conceded she was his only choice.
It was vital the investigation was completed before they arrived at Te’ath. Darl needed to send a signal confirming matters were in hand, and this meant she would have the freedom to pursue whatever lines of enquiry she thought appropriate, including a private interview with Garnoth.
She took a token sip of her drink before responding. ‘I will commence my investigations immediately. I would prefer, for now, that even if we discover the whereabouts of Beron, he is not informed of Garnoth's arrest.’
‘Do you think he might be involved?’ Darl had hoped there was only one rebel, and that he had been neutralised.
‘There is a slight possibility, no more, that he may have acted under duress on the planet, and I would like to be satisfied he has been cleared medically before I speak to him,’ she noted that, without any conscious effort, she was adopting something approaching Garnoth’s speech patterns. She admired him, but conceded that was going too far.
Darl nodded, relieved that the net was not being widened.
‘I also need to speak to Garnoth as soon as possible…in private.’
‘I’m sorry, but that simply won’t be possible,’ he replied. ‘Your investigation must be a matter of record.’
‘Then I refuse the commission. Garnoth won't open up to me if he believes the conversation is being monitored. He’s a broken man, with nothing to gain from speaking out. If he refuses to implicate his accomplices we’ll get no further, and you can explain to the Council how, with clear evidence of the existence of the rebellion we had always feared, you failed to capitalise on the capture of a prime mover.’
‘We…you have methods of securing the truth from any prisoner, use them on Garnoth,’ he spluttered.