Saving 1641

by Robert Jay Dilger

  “I can tell,” Conor answered with a grin. “I could smell the mint on you all the way down the corridor. No offense, but you need something stronger if you want to mask that unique smell of yours. It reminds me of wet kitty litter.”

  “That’s enough of that,” Alex stated, giving Conor a big, friendly hug. “How’s Kathryn doing? Is she awake yet?”

  Conor walked across the room, coming to a stop at Kathryn’s bedside.

  “She is still asleep,” Conor stated. “But the robomedic says that she is going to be fine.”

  The robomedic looked up for an instant from the medical console in case Conor or Alex had any questions. It then turned its attention back to the large number of medical readouts on the console. Its metallic gray-blue eyes glistened under the lab’s bright, artificial lights.

  “She’s been out a long time,” Alex stated as he leaned over Kathryn’s bed and took a long look at a scar etched across her forehead.

  “That will go away,” Conor answered. “The robomedic said that all of the laser burns will fade away and be gone in just a few days. Plus, her broken bones are healing well and all of her implants are fully functional. It said that she should be back to her normal self in about two weeks. It will take a bit longer for her hair to grow back, but that is not a big deal.”

  Alex leaned over the bed and kissed Kathryn softly on the top of her head.

  “Here’s the latest,” Alex stated, pulling a chair over to Kathryn’s bed. “There is good news and some bad news. The good news is that Brandix has agreed to keep your planet’s reprieve off of the Court’s agenda. So, no reboot. At least, not yet. The bad news is that in order to keep the reprieve off of the agenda we had to agree to allow expedited mineral extraction on your planet’s uninhabited continents. Expedited extraction is not allowed on Member planets because of the environmental damage that it can cause, but, as Brandix noted, your planet is not a Member of the Consortium. Also, because Michael is now a Justice he can no longer serve as your people’s guardian. We were worried that Brandix would try to sabotage their chances by naming one of his goons to replace Michael, but because we agreed to the expedited mineral extraction Brandix agreed to give the job to Kristi. That was important. She will make sure that the extraction companies do not interfere with your people’s development. After all, they have everything to gain if your people fail to meet the Court’s requirements. Personally, I can’t see how your people are going to meet those requirements. I suppose that it can be done, but radical changes are going to have to take place, starting with the Batar. They have got to go. You should expect a visit from Kristi soon. She will ask you to join her. Brandix probably had that in mind when he brokered the deal. He wants both of you off-world, removing two of Michael’s closest associates. Oh, and one more thing. Brandix is also refusing to give Anne Hopkins the 10 million credits that she was promised.”

  “I knew about that part,” Conor answered. “I listened in on the meeting upstairs. But I don’t understand why Brandix is being so stubborn about those credits. If it wasn’t for Anne Hopkins, he would be dead.”

  “Unfortunately, it makes a lot of sense,” Alex explained. “Brandix is a politician. He doesn’t think in terms of right or wrong. He thinks in terms of what it takes to get things done the way that he thinks they ought to be done. To him, people are either an asset or a liability. He cultivates assets and eliminates liabilities. In this case, he sees Anne Hopkins as a liability because of the negative publicity that is associated with her. Complicating matters still further, he is now trying to use Michael’s loyalty to her as a weapon to teach him a lesson. His message to Michael is clear. Play politics his way or get burned.”

  “I still don’t understand,” Conor continued. “How will denying Anne her credits teach Michael a lesson?”

  “Brandix will give Hopkins her 10 million credits,” Alex continued. “But he is in no hurry. He will trade some credits for Michael’s support whenever Michael’s vote is needed. Given the current Court, he won’t need Michael’s support very often, so Hopkins is unlikely to see those credits for a very, very long time.”

  “So what you are saying,” Conor interrupted. “Is that Brandix is going to use Anne Hopkins to control Michael, forcing him to do what he wants, even if Michael disagrees.”

  “Precisely,” Alex answered.

  “What’s our plan?” Conor asked.

  “Our plan?” Alex asked.

  “Of course,” Conor answered. “We’re not just going to sit back and let Brandix get away with this, are we?”

  Alex grinned, glanced over to the robomedic to make certain that it was not recording their conversation, and whispered, “Of course not.”

  Michael paced nervously in front of Dee’s door, wondering whether he should just turn around and go home. It was obvious that she was going to break off their engagement. Otherwise, he would have known about her appointment to the Court. He continued to pace for a few more moments, gathered up his courage, raised his right hand, and pressed his palm on the door’s entrance pad. A soft ringing sound echoed inside the apartment. A moment later, Dee’s image materialized on the door.

  “Hello,” Dee stated.

  “Hello,” Michael answered, wondering why she had not opened the door.

  An awkward moment of silence followed, with the two of them just looking at each other, waiting for someone to say something.

  “Well?” Michael asked, breaking the silence.

  “Yes?” Dee asked.

  “Are you going to let me in?” Michael asked, his eyes shifting away from Dee’s image for a second toward two young women who were walking down the corridor in his direction. “You are expecting me. You confirmed the appointment.”

  “I did,” Dee stated, not answering his question. “And I see that you are right-on-time too. How punctual. That’s just like you. Always right-on-time. But I am afraid that something has come up. Brandix is sponsoring a private party to commemorate my appointment to the Court. There are going to be a lot of financiers there. He specifically told me that you were not invited and that I should not bring you. You understand how it is. It’s his party. He can decide who gets to attend. Who am I to tell him who he can invite to his parties? Maybe we can get together later. You understand how it is. I have to attend. He is my sponsor after all. Give my assistant a call. Maybe we can schedule something.”

  The two women grinned at Michael as they approached. They had obviously slowed down so that they could listen in on his conversation. One of them let out a soft laugh after Dee said “maybe we can schedule something.”

  Dee’s image faded away into nothingness. Michael stood in the corridor, staring in disbelief at the door. He wasn’t sure how to respond. Call her assistant? It was obvious that they were finished as a couple. A deep sadness swept over him and tears welled up in his eyes. Reaching up to wipe a tear from the corner of his right eye, a sharp, excruciating pain rippled through his upper back to his chest. His head jerked backward and his knees buckled. He hit the floor hard, blood spilling out onto the carpeted flooring. As he blacked out, he heard that soft laugh again.

  Chapter 35

  WHO DID IT?

  The videopapers blared out the news, “NEW JUSTICE STABBED. TEETERING ON DEATH’S DOOR. TRUSTED AIDE ARRESTED.”

  Conor paced angrily from one side of the cage to the other, banging his fist hard against its metal bars.

  “This is barbaric,” Conor shouted, waving his fist at the robocamera hovering above the cage. “No one deserves to be treated this way! What is wrong with you people?”

  Alex wrapped his arms around his young friend and whispered, “Calm down. Don’t do anything hasty.”

  Conor looked up at the robocamera hovering over the cage and shook his head in disgust. Alex sat down on the cold, hard, metal floor. The cage had no furniture, just a crude, curtained personal waste disposal system tucked into one of its corners. A holoreed hung off of a wall just beyond reach.

  “N
o wonder we couldn’t reach you,” Conor stated using telepathy.

  Focusing on the holoreed, Conor flipped its on switch to the off position.

  “Don’t worry about the cage and the robocamera,” Alex thought as Conor sat on the floor, facing him. “It’s all for show. Brandix and the videopapers are working hand-in-hand. The videopapers are hoping for record ratings. Best friend tries to kill beloved leader and all of that.”

  Conor glanced up at the robocamera. Its telephoto lens zoomed in on his face.

  “Tell me who is responsible for this and I will make them pay,” Conor stated angrily.

  “I am,” Alex answered.

  Conor’s eyes widened with surprise.

  “This is all my fault,” Alex continued. “I should have done a better job protecting Michael. He made it quite obvious at that very first meeting with Brandix that he wasn’t going to be a political puppet, and he did it in front of Brandix’s friends and allies. Brandix had no choice. He had to put Michael in his place. He had to show everyone who is boss. I should have recognized the danger. I should have insisted that Michael have a bodyguard with him at all times. It is my job to protect him and I failed. Brandix saw his chance and he took it. If the assassination succeeded, Michael is no longer a problem and by placing my prints on the knife he takes me out too. If it failed, he sends a message to the two of us, and everyone else on the Court as well, that cannot be ignored. Follow his lead or live out the rest of your term looking over your shoulder, worrying about who or what is lurking around the next corner. So, no matter what happens, he wins. Very clever.”

  “If you can see that, won’t the prosecutor figure it out as well?” Conor asked.

  “Of course,” Alex answered. “But there won’t be a trial if Michael lives. He will testify that I had nothing to do with it. There will be an investigation of how my prints got on the knife, but I am sure that Brandix has covered his tracks on that. If, on the other hand, Michael dies, then I will go on trial and no government-appointed prosecutor is going to investigate Brandix, not when they have my prints on the murder weapon. Brandix is too powerful to go after without irrefutable evidence. In fact, Brandix will probably handpick the prosecutor himself. So, even if there is evidence out there that could implicate Brandix the prosecutor will find a way for it to disappear. That is how the system works. But, come to think of it, even if Michael does pull through and clears me there just might be a trial after all. Brandix could manufacture evidence against anyone. This could be a golden opportunity for him to get rid of someone else he does not like. Some names come immediately to mind.”

  “Who?” Conor asked.

  “Anne Hopkins for one,” Alex answered. “She has motive. Michael promised her 10 million credits. And let’s not forget about former Justices Casseday and Kourdar. They would love to see Michael dead. They are on the run, but they still represent a threat to Brandix. Blaming them for the assassination attempt would eliminate any chance for them to make a political comeback in the future.”

  A large, muscular woman wearing a colonel’s insignia on her blouse walked up to the cage and announced in a very harsh tone of voice, “I don’t know how the two of you are doing it, but it is obvious that you are communicating with each other without speaking. I am ending this visit right now.”

  The colonel inserted an old-fashioned metallic key into a spring-loaded lock on the cage’s door. She turned the key a half-revolution to the left, waited for a clicking noise, and then turned the key a full revolution to the right. The lock sprung open. Grabbing the heavy metal door with both hands, she pulled it open, walked over to Conor, grabbed him by the arm, and led him forcefully out of the cage. A young man wearing a green tunic with the letters ICHG embroidered on it, indicating that he was a member of Brandix’s newly created Interstellar Court Honor Guard, stood just outside of the now open door. The guard pointed his laser pistol at Alex’s head. He did not lower the pistol until Conor was outside of the cage and the door was closed and locked again. The guard raised the ends of his lips into a sly smirk as he placed the laser pistol back into its holster. Raising his right hand, he pointed his right index finger at Alex and whispered, “Bang, bang, you’re dead.”

  Alex moved toward the guard and whispered back, “I will remember that.”

  Alex turned toward Conor and thought, “Go to Anne Hopkins. She knows that Brandix is behind this and that all of this could end up in her lap. Tell her that I have a plan that includes getting her the credits we promised her and her family. Tell her that it will work, but only if she helps. I will fill you in on the details if she says yes. Tell Kristi that if Michael doesn’t wake up that I will plead innocent. She will know what that means.”

  Conor placed his palm on the door’s entrance pad. A ringtone, mimicking the throaty mating call of a songbird on Kristi’s home planet, announced his presence. Kristi’s image appeared on the door.

  “Come in,” Kristi announced using telepathy. “It’s so nice of you to come for a visit.”

  The door vanished. Kristi was curled up on her couch, reading a hologram romance novel. The two main characters, in a warm embrace, dissolved into nothingness as she closed the book.

  “Please pull up a chair,” Kristi announced out loud for the benefit of those who were listening in on their conversation.

  “As you can see,” Kristi continued. “Being under house arrest is not so bad.”

  Conor scanned the room with all of his senses, trying to determine where the government’s listening and recording devices were hidden.

  “There are two micro-robocameras in this room, one in the dining room, one in the kitchen, and another in my bedroom,” Kristi stated. “It took me more than an hour to find all of the micro-robocameras. Very impressive technology. Let’s see how long it takes you to find the two in this room.”

  “School’s over,” he replied. “No more contests, prizes, or homework.”

  “You will always be my student,” Kristi answered. “For as long as I live, you will be my student.”

  Conor returned her warm, loving smile and announced out loud, for the benefit of the listening audience, “I am so sorry that you have been placed under home confinement. I am sure that when all of the evidence is examined that you will be freed and the government will issue a public apology.”

  “No apology is needed,” Kristi answered with a wink. “I know that the government is there to protect us. It is only a matter to time before they catch the people who are behind all of this and bring them to justice. Besides, it’s not so bad being here. I have plenty of good food in the dispensary and I now have time to catch up on some hologram novels that I have been meaning to read. I just started one about a young woman named Amy who finds and loses true love, only to find it once again. I love novels with happy endings.”

  “Once Michael emerges from his coma,” Conor continued. “I am sure that he will straighten everything out and you will be released.”

  “I’m worried that Brandix might not let Michael get better,” Conor added. “It would be fairly easy for him to arrange for an accident, and then place the blame on a malfunctioning robomedic.”

  “He is getting the best medical care that there is,” Kristi stated.

  “The videopapers have several robocameras broadcasting from the medical lab night and day,” Kristi continued. “The videopaper editors are anxious to broadcast Michael’s wakening moment, or his death. Either event is certain to attract a record audience. Brandix cannot remove those robocameras without raising suspicion. Michael’s celebrity status will ensure that he is taken care of properly. Besides, Dee Sanders checks in on him regularly. She’s been giving countless interviews about how she heard a commotion outside her front door and found several neighbors attempting to help Michael, unconscious and clinging precariously to life in her hallway.”

  “It’s just a matter of time before he wakes up,” Kristi added.

  “Alex doesn’t trust Dee Sanders and neither do I,” Conor
replied. “Alex thinks that she was using Michael from the start, pretending to be in love with him when all along she was a mole for Brandix, setting Michael up to be Brandix’s political puppet. Alex thinks that when it became clear that Michael was not going to play along, Brandix decided to get rid of him and used Dee Sanders as bait to lure him into a trap. I remember Alex telling me that political power is an addiction. Once you get it you cannot let it go. You have to have it and you have to have more of it no matter who gets hurt along the way. I think that Dee may have been fond of Michael at one time, but when she was forced to choose between power and Michael she chose power.”

  Kristi turned her head to the right, listening.

  “Did you hear that?” Kristi asked.

  “Yes,” Conor answered. “It’s one of the micro-robocameras. It is shifting acoustical frequencies. It must sense that it is not picking up all of our conversation. By the way, there are three micro-robocameras in this room, not two.”

  “Are you sure?” Kristi asked. “I found only two.”

  “There’s one embedded in the frame of that picture of you and Michael,” Conor answered, shifting his eyes to the right. “It looks like a nick in the wood, but I can hear its internal gears moving. Good place for it. It provides a panoramic view of the entire living room. There is another one on the ceiling. It blends in nicely. Perfect color match. Plus, it’s so small, no one would notice. The third one is embedded into the cover of your hologram novel. It is disguised to look like an armband on the young man’s tunic.”

  Kristi began to reach for the novel to see for herself, but stopped herself before giving away that she was now aware of the micro-robocamera’s presence.

  “Very clever,” Kristi replied. “They must have embedded it into the fabric while I slept.”

  “I am meeting with Anne Hopkins in a couple of hours,” Conor continued. “Alex asked me to meet with her. I am not sure how she is going to help, but Alex told me to contact her so I did. He said that he had a plan and that he would explain it to me once she agreed to help. He also mentioned something about pleading innocent if Michael does not wake up. He was very specific about that. What is so important about pleading innocent? I was going to look it up on the computer, but they are monitoring my computer activities and I did not want them to know that we were considering it as an option.”