Lyra sounded confused.
<It’s called trying new things and having a little fun.> Nerishka took another sip and swallowed slowly, blinking back more tears. <Plus, it grows on you,> she added, even as her mental voice turning into a soft squeak.
<I believe I will never understand organics,> Lyra replied as though weary of the task, though Nerishka suspected the opposite was happening. The more she worked with Lyra the more she understood the AI and how she thought. It was pretty clear that Lyra was slowly understanding more about organic perception and thinking. Hopefully that was a good thing.
An hour later, having eaten and chatted with Lakit, the restaurant owner, Nerishka called for a ride and headed back to her hotel, arriving on the ground floor this time. She’d shrugged the cloak off and held it over her arm as she strode through the brightly lit reception hall, then took the lift up to her suite. After a cursory check of the entrance, with Lyra confirming that nobody had attempted access in their absence, Nerishka hurried inside, relieved to be back in a place of safety.
She disrobed and spent a while in the san before dressing in comfortable wide-legged slacks and a flowy singlet before heading back into the room. Lyra, in the meantime, had begun to work the file they’d stolen from Fletcher’s database.
<How are we doing?> Nerishka asked.
<A few minutes. I just have to unpack the data and breach his encryption—which is good, but since I have half his keys and tokens, it shouldn’t take long.>
A few minutes later, Lyra threw up a holo of the master matrix of Fletcher’s database.
Nerishka frowned as she scrolled through subtrees and files, shaking her head as she settled in. The data was far more extensive than she’d expected, and at first seemed to be merely a standard backup of research data; plant product DNA and structural molecular changes when affected by specific toxic chemicals, among a raft of other projects.
Fletcher’s company seemed to leave few stones unturned in researching a wide variety of biochemical products. Irrelevant to Nerishka’s search for his progress with picotech, but still interesting.
<It appears to me that Fletcher Technologies is searching for something in particular. The variety of research projects is impressive, but there seems to have been a gradual decrease in activity on current and new projects over the last few months.>
<Perhaps a powerful biochemical weapon that they can sell? Maybe they’re onto something and are now narrowing their search?>
Lyra’s avatar raised an eyebrow. <But what does that have to do with picotech?>
<Who knows? Maybe nothing at all. Maybe Fletcher’s picotech really was something he was involved in on the side.>
<Or this research could have been a decoy,> Lyra countered.
<Hmm? How so? Maybe old Fletch really had too little time left what with his mysterious benefactor who is such a hard ass.>
<I’ve encountered a file that contains some very damning information. Here, have a look and tell me what you think.> Lyra highlighted a series of files on the holo and Nerishka swiped and opened them one at a time.
<Stars, that is not what I expected to see.> Nerishka stared at the first of the images.
A man had been photographed from a variety of angles, each image revealing the terrible extent of his condition. His skin was covered in patches of what appeared to be a fungal growth, small repeating patterns of discoloration that would have appeared to be a normal infection easily fixed with one’s nano. But the color and scope of the infection surprised Nerishka.
<Seems widespread. Guess his nano can’t handle the severity of the infection.>
<From what some of the reports indicate, these symptoms appear to be chemically induced. But it appears to be an indirect infection.>
<What? Like secondary infections after a toxic spill or something?>
Lyra sent a nodding face to confirm. <The records are linking his condition to what they’ve labeled ‘Unknown Event B’. Although it appears that ‘event’ isn’t really unknown, at least not to the person who filed this report.>
<Stars, ‘Unknown Event B’ implies this is a second instance of whatever the hell is causing such terrible suffering.> Nerishka found she had to force herself to study the images, not because of the symptoms themselves but more due to the number of people reported to have been affected. <Do you see the discrepancy in the report content versus the reports from the hospitals where these patients initially presented?>
<Yes. I do. I am trying to cross-reference them but far too many of the details have been redacted. I cannot identify the hospital or even the planet or station on which this occurred.> Frustration bled into Lyra’s tone, mirroring Nerishka’s own emotions.
<They certainly have something to hide,> Nerishka replied. <Whatever this is, it should already have gained government attention, and at least the attention of the newscasters.>
Nerishka continued to page through a variety of images of patients who were recorded as suffering from various infections and cancer-like conditions. The images and reports continued in a similar vein and ended with at least three miscarriages of healthy fetus’s. Fletcher’s files detailed at least a hundred and ten patients presenting with similar symptoms over a period of two months.
<These people would have had access to modern medicine. At least to prevent the death of the unborn children. But they didn’t get medical attention. At least not in time to help.> Nerishka waved a hand at the holo, frustration and weariness weighing her down.
<The reports are rather limited in detail but from what I gather, they waited too long, then sought medical attention when they’d progressed too far,> Lyra replied. <At that stage, the medical attendants reported that many of the patients were beyond saving—at least with the financial means available to them.>
The idea was worrying, considering most governments usually kept a close eye on toxic spills and environmental contamination. Even more so in a system with this much interstellar commerce. There was always someone dumping their waste in space, thinking it would never hit anything.
<In many of the notes Fletcher indicates the diseases and malformations are directly attributed to ‘the event’, but whatever that event was, he didn’t want it to be revealed. He’s suggesting further investigation or halting the research altogether.> Lyra grunted. <One of the main problems I’m having here is that too much of the information has been redacted,> muttered Lyra just as Nerishka nodded.
<Yeah, I’m seeing that too. Just when I think I’m going to find out exactly what I need to know, I find redacted data.>
<And redacted as in deleted. Not security protected. Just…not there.>
<Someone covered their tracks very well.> Nerishka shook her head in frustration and swiped the files off the holo. <I suspected something else was going on behind the scenes, but I never imagined it would be anything so horrific, or that Fletcher would be involved up to his eyeballs.>
<I will take this opportunity to concede that perhaps organics have a tiny edge on AIs,> Lyra said with a long-suffering sigh.
<How so?> Nerishka asked, hiding a smile.
<Well, I would have stayed on task, completed the mission and left the Ayra System. You had that whole ‘gut thing’ going on and insisted on following any crumbs you could find, whereas I didn’t see them in the first place.>
<Yeah, well. You wouldn’t have seen them,> Nerishka said, her tone comforting. <The signs were in Fletcher’s eyes. Just something about the things he said and the things he didn’t say.>
<Ah yes. I believe you organics call that ‘reading between the lines.’ I never quite understood that phrase. Especially when it relates to situations where words and lines are not involved.>
Nerishka let out a soft laugh and checked her messages. Nothing yet from Karsin. <I think we need to go find our AWOL fellow agent. I don’t like that he hasn’t responded to any of my messages in days.>
<Are you thinking he may have changed sides?>
That wasn’t the first time Lyra had voiced her c
oncern. Nerishka wondered if the AI knew something she didn’t. <No. I just have a feeling that something’s wrong. And if that is the case, I don’t want to tip anyone off by being too overzealous with repeated messages. He could be compromised…I don’t want to just leave and not know for certain.>
<Very well. I’m arranging for a skycar. Assuming you don’t want to tip anyone off, where do you wish the skycar service to take us?>
Nerishka named a shop near The Black Lion; as Lyra expected, she’d take a circuitous route to Karsin’s last known location to avoid being followed. Whatever he was up to, Nerishka planned on finding out. She just hoped the operative hadn’t changed sides, because it would not be good for him.
She didn’t want to have to kill one of her own.
DUST AND OWLS
STELLAR DATE: 10.06.8948 (Adjusted Gregorian)
LOCATION: West District, Eshnunna
Three skycars later, Nerishka arrived at the address she had for Karsin. She alighted from the skycar and stepped away as the craft took off again. Beneath a long flowing dress—its muted blue perfect for mingling among the people on the streets—she wore her light armor. The dress could come off in an instant, and her armor had advanced stealth capabilities more than sufficient to fool the locals.
Her flechette pistols were secure in their concealed holsters on her thighs, and her lightwand’s presence against her waist was a constant comfort. She’d missed her weapons.
<Are you sure we have the right place?> asked Lyra, her tone conveying concern.
Nerishka was wondering the same thing as she stared at the building, and the sign above her that said ‘Ink and Dust’. <It’s a book shop. Like…physical books. I didn’t think those were common relics in this system. Do we have the correct address?> Nerishka asked, frowning. What would Karsin be doing at a bookshop? <He did log this as the address of his residence, though. Maybe he lives upstairs.> She tilted back to peer up at the second floor of the narrow building.
<The address is correct.> The AI made an odd, disbelieving sound. <I share your surprise at the nature of the establishment. I hadn’t realized organics still read on paper anymore,> Lyra said as they entered the shadowed interior of the store.
<Maybe no one does; it would keep him from having to deal with customers.> Nerishka chuckled as she pushed on the door, finding it unlocked.
Once inside, she saw that the shelves were filled with books of every type, from thick leather-bound to thinner casebound to simple staple-spined comic books. Many shelves were more than a little dusty, confirming her prior suspicion.
<It’s a front,> said Nerishka as she scanned the narrow aisles and closed in on the cashier’s desk along the left-hand wall. <Though I suspect it worked too well. A front should at least look like a viable business.>
A slim young woman lounged on her chair, her eyes focused on the paperback in her hands. As Nerishka drew closer she grinned. The girl—whose dark blue hair hung almost to her waist—currently held the book—a faded copy of a story about lions, witches and wardrobes—upside down. A holo badge on her collar named her as ‘Vanka.’
<She is reading something on her Link.> Even Lyra was amused. <Definitely not very talented in the acting department.>
Nerishka reached the counter and cleared her throat. “I’m here to see Karsin? Tell him the Owl is here.” To Lyra, she said, <Now that code finally makes sense.>
Vanka looked up from her upside-down book and stared at Nerishka for a moment. Then she pointed a thumb at the wall behind her where a narrow doorway led into an interior room that appeared to be filled with more dusty tomes. As soon as Nerishka’s gaze shifted to the door, Vanka refocused her attention on the book and appeared engrossed again.
<So, either he’s here, she has no idea, or we’re about to walk into a trap,> Lyra commented.
<Or all of the above.>
A smirk on her lips, Nerishka leaned over and tugged the book free from the girl’s hands. Vanka let out an affronted squeak and straightened, mouth open, ready to voice her dissatisfaction with being disturbed while upside-down reading. Nerishka merely smiled and made a show of turning the book around the right way up, then placed it back within the girl’s grip.
Her job done, Nerishka headed around the counter and entered the interior room. She’d only glimpsed the books when she’d stood at the counter, but once inside the small space, the volume of books threatened to suffocate her.
She barely broke her stride as she hurried through the room to a second doorway which opened onto a narrow stairwell. Nerishka climbed the stairs, thinking that a Hand agent should have a more secure base of operations than a rundown antique shop.
At the top of the second flight of stairs, Nerishka met with a single door. <Do we knock?> she asked Lyra as she studied the control panel as it blinked a demand for a bioscan.
<I suggest you palm the screen,> said Lyra carefully. <He knew you were coming; he would have prepared the security system to allow you access, especially given that his packet for the operation provided you with the location as well as the secret password.>
<What if it’s a trap? He’s drawing me here, only to kill me?>
Lyra chuckled. <Is that your professional paranoia talking, or is it your organic gut again?>
Nerishka snorted. <Nothing’s added up where Karsin’s concerned. So, I’m worried and I’m also considering all possible scenarios. There’s a reason why I’m still alive and kicking after two hundred years at this job.>
Though Nerishka hesitated, she was well aware that her AI was right. She gave a firm nod and did as Lyra suggested, though was still surprised when the door slid open for her. Pursing her lips, she set loose a passel of drones to sweep Karsin's apartment. Then she pulled up her dress and drew one of her flechette pistols from her thigh before entering the room, wary and alert. Once inside, her lips pursed in a thin line. The entire apartment looked like a tornado had run through it.
Nerishka let out a sigh as Lyra said, <I’m not getting anything on the IR scan. Breaching the door’s systems to see if I can pull any access logs.>
<Well, I guess I’ll see if there are any clues about who did this, then go talk to Vanka. Engrossed as she is in her not-reading, she had to have heard something. Either that, or she’s in on it.>
<Or she doesn’t work for Karsin at all and she was left behind to see if his friends come visiting,> Lyra suggested.
<All the more reason to get searching. We can’t just cut and run because his place got tossed and upside-down-book-girl is keeping watch below.>
Lyra sent an agreeable emotive and Nerishka crept deeper into the room, skirting the bed on her way toward the san. She wasn’t about to get careless, and the rest of the living quarters needed to be checked thoroughly. Nerishka stood on the threshold and palmed the control, waiting as it slid open slowly.
With her pistol still leading the way, Nerishka entered the san and stopped in her tracks. Lying inside the tub was the man she’d come looking for. Only he wasn’t enjoying a nice soak; he was very much dead. A single bullet to the eye had done the job and he now lay within a pool of his own coagulated blood.
<Shit. I knew something was wrong.>
<I have decided that henceforth I will be trusting your gut much more,> said Lyra softly. <IR didn’t detect him. Now I see why.>
<Well, if it had—>
<Look out!> Lyra shouted just as an EMP wave fried Nerishka’s drones.
Nerishka dodged into the san unit, but not before a pulse blast hit her in the side and spun her around into the wal
l. Her armor absorbed most of the shot, and Nerishka moved further into cover, but her assailant switched to kinetic rounds that tore through the thin wall, ricocheting off her armor, and destroying the san.
Nerishka pulled the tattered remains of her dress off, triggering her armor to unfurl and cover her head before tossing the dress into the san’s doorway, a heap of dark blue fabric that her attacker began to shred to pieces.
<Damn, I liked that dress,> Nerishka said as she activated her armor’s stealth systems.
<I believe you would like your skin and beating heart more,> said Lyra drily. <Now perhaps we get ourselves out of here?>
Nerishka frowned as the room fell silent and the weapons fire died down. <Sorry, Lyra. That is not how this is going down. I don’t run from the problem. I need to know what’s going on here and ducking out isn’t going to get me answers. I’m already out on a limb here.>
<Very well,> said Lyra, her tone resigned. <IR is still reading negative. Her armor is impressive—assuming it's Vanka.>
<Thanks for stating the obvious,> Nerishka muttered. She studied the san, disliking that her opponent’s armor was good enough to escape detection. <I’m not wasting any more time here.> Nerishka reached for the ultrasonic emitter that was part of her mission kit.
With a grenade ready in one hand, she stepped out into the room, holding the sonic emitter with the other, sweeping it around the room.
<We have her,> Lyra said, dropping a shadowy image onto Nerishka’s HUD.
Without a moment’s pause, Nerishka threw the grenade at the camouflaged assailant who was standing on the other side of the bed. The explosive hit the still-invisible attacker mid-section, throwing her against the far wall.
The force of the blast also knocked Nerishka back. She collided with the dresser behind her, and then with the wall as she lost her balance, wincing as she felt the impact through to her bones.