The Enemy Papers Page 35

  "The strangeness?"

  "It ... it still seems familiar. Almost as though the land masses of the planets we know had been rearranged to fool us."

  "Mitzak, can you make out the demilitarized zone?"

  "No. But I can see large areas of both continents that look like deserts."

  "Amadeen has no deserts."

  "It does now."

  Nicole removed her hand from Mitzak's arm and, rubbed her eyes. "Have you noticed a change in Tora Soam since we learned of Heliot Vant's death?"

  "Yes. As you know from your work with the computer, the autopsy showed that Heliot had ingested a large quantity of poison—pronide. It is a human way of killing. And the poison is widely distributed among USEF soldiers."

  Nicole lowered her hand to her chair's armrest. "Tora Soam must realize that those facts point equally toward a human murderer or a Drac murderer's frame."

  "Tora Soam, I fear, needs to see no such thing." Mitzak paused for a moment. "The joining between Heliot Vant and Tora Soam obscures many things."

  "Mitzak, I know, you know, Kia knows, and more than anyone else in the universe, Tora Soam knows." Nicole sighed. "More and more I feel that Lita is out there netting us with its rules—"

  "—And Tora Soam is now in Lita's net?"

  "Exactly. Perhaps all of us. Which makes our positions—yours and mine—rather precarious. We are traitors to the humans, and are humans to the Dracs."

  "Including Tora Soam, our only protection?"

  Nicole nodded. "Yes—"

  Familiar footsteps entered the compartment as the door hissed shut. It was Tora Soam. "I have been in communication with Indeva Bejuda, the acting Jetah of the Dracon Chamber's mission to the negotiations. I have been appointed the mission's representative to meet with a similar representative from the United States of Earth's mission. Joanne Nicole?"

  "Yes?"

  "You will assist me. We are to discuss with the humans the particulars for opening again full negotiations. Leonid Mitzak?"

  "Yes, Ovjetah?"

  "I want you and Kia to meet with Fourth Officer Hajjis Da. Hajjis is the officer in charge of the Drac security unit on the orbiter. Hajjis has the information regarding Heliot's death. I have already made the arrangements. You will all be issued Blades of Aydan to badge you as members of the Dracon Diplomatic Mission. Mitzak?"

  "Our task, Ovjetah?"

  "Find out what Hajjis knows about Heliot Vant's murder. You must learn, as well, everything that can be known about the orbiter and every being that inhabits it. Do you understand?"

  "Yes, Ov—"

  Tora Soam abruptly turned and left the wardroom. There was a silence in the compartment until Nicole heard Mitzak turning the control that governed the wardroom's viewscreen. "We are almost ready to dock at the orbiter."

  She heard Mitzak lean forward in his chair. "What is it, Mitzak?"

  "I am not certain." He leaned back. "It is a feeling."

  "Describe it."

  "I can see the orbiter looming out there—looking like some huge, abandoned, malevolent thing. Something asleep, but with jaws. I think I am frightened."

  "Of what?"

  "That the stakes in this game are higher than we imagine, and that Lita has already said, 'I win.'"

  SEVENTEEN

  "I have stood where the Kathni have stood, and the universe is a different thing through their eyes. Long ago Lurrvanna taught us that logic is a creature of context and invention. If this was true for beings inhabiting the same planet for uncounted thousands of years: can it be less true for beings evolving from separate environments, inhabiting different planets?"

  —The Story of Ditaar, Koda Sinushada, The Talman

  Scant hours later, Nicole sat before a table, nervously fingering the hilt of the ceremonial dagger thrust into her waist wrap, and listened as Tora Soam introduced itself and her to the two humans negotiators. When the Ovjetah had finished, one of the humans coughed. "I compliment you on your English, Ovjetah. My name is Nikos Eklissia. The man sitting next to me is my assistant, Colonel Richard Moore.

  Nicole heard Tora Soam lean back in its chair. "And, Nikos Eklissia. I also compliment you upon your command of English."

  Embarrassed silence followed. Eklissia coughed, then spoke. "Our purpose here, Ovjetah—"

  "All of us know our collective and individual purposes, Nikos Eklissia, state your government's position."

  Again Eklissia coughed. Nicole heard Tora Soam lean forward. "Eklissia, are you diseased?"

  "No."

  "Then I would ask you to stop blowing wind and saliva about the compartment and to proceed with stating your position."

  "Look, Drac—"

  Hurried whispering came from the human side of the table then the human spoke again. "I apologize for my nervous habit. However, Tora Soam, I can see no advantage to either of us, or our governments, in exchanging insults."

  "Nikos Eklissia, our races, our worlds, our universes are in the process of preparing to continue murdering each other. Your injured sensibilities compared to the billions of dead and the future billions that will die if we do not reach an accord on the negotiations, do not interest me. State your government's position."

  "Very well. My government wants the negotiations limited to discussing the signing and implementation of the treaty accords already agreed to by Ambassador Rafiki and Ovjetah Heliot."

  "No."

  Another cough. "No?"

  "Nikos Eklissia, circumstances have changed since that document was written. Many have died, and my friend Heliot Vant has been murdered. There will be no limits upon the subject matter of the negotiations."

  "That is impossible, Tora Soam."

  "You do not have the power to change your position?"

  I must consult With Ambassador Rafiki, and our gov—"

  Nicole heard Tora Soam stand. "Then we have nothing more to discuss. My assistant will remain to arrange a meeting for when, there is something to discuss."

  Tora Soam's footsteps marched away from the table and out of the compartment. There was a long pause, then one of the humans stood. I'll be damned if ... talk to her, Colonel, and make the arrangements."

  Nicole heard Nikos Eklissia's footsteps march from the compartment; and after a long moment, Colonel Moore's chuckle came from the other side of the table. "Your boss likes to hang tough, Nicole."

  Nicole nodded and released her Blade of Aydan as she clasped her hands together. "And your boss is a wimp."

  "I see we're going to get along just fine. Out of curiosity, why are you working for the Dracs?"

  "I'm not. I'm working for peace. What are you working for, Moore?"

  There were the sounds of fingers drumming upon the table. The sounds stopped. "You're blind."

  "Sightless, but not blind."

  "Hmmm. Well, I hope you can see this. The two negotiation teams have been hammering out the terms of this treaty for a long time. It would be signed and in effect right now, except for the Dracs breaking off everything because Heliot died. We don't want to start over from the beginning."

  "Colonel Moore, I can't possibly explain to you the meaning of Heliot Vant's death. However, it couldn't have come at a worse time. I can assure you that the Dracon Chamber is both willing and able to resume the war. In addition, the Chamber and the Drac negotiating team will follow Tora Soam's recommendations."

  "When should they meet again ?"

  "As soon as your team has the power to make decisions and agrees to take the limits off of the negotiations."

  The sounds of fingered drumming again started; then stopped. "What's it going for nowadays, Nicole?"

  "What's what going for?"

  "Treason."

  She had been waiting for the question; the same question that she had asked Mitzak a thousand years ago. Countless responses competed for the use of her tongue; but in the end she could do no more than Mitzak had done. She laughed.

  Later, seated in Tora Soam's quarters next to Kia, Joanne Nic
ole listened as Mitzak put his conclusions before the Ovjetah. "According to the commander of the Tsien Denvedah security complement, Fourth Officer Hajjis Da, the night before the signing ceremony Heliot Vant and Ana Rafiki met informally in Heliot's quarters. Rafiki had brought with her a bottle of bourbon—"

  "Explain."

  "It is a beverage containing a form of the drug alcohol. Tests showed that Heliot's portion of the beverage contained the poison. There were no traces of the poison either in the bottle or in ambassador Rafiki's portion of the beverage."

  "Emmmm. A question, Nicole?"

  "Yes. Mitzak, who poured the drinks, and where?"

  "According to Hajjis Da's interview with Na Chanji, Heliot's duty guard, Rafiki's duty guard poured the drinks in the galley immediately off of Heliot's quarters. Na Chanji observed the human guard do this. Then Na Chanji carried the drinks into Heliot's quarters."

  Nicole frowned. "The glasses—containers—who provided them?"

  "The containers came from Heliot Vant's galley."

  Nicole nodded. "Go ahead."

  "Hajjis Da concludes that there were only four who could have administered the poison to Heliot Vant. The first is Ambassador Rafiki."

  Tora Soam grunted. "The news has just been announced that Rafiki is being recalled by her government. The next Mitzak."

  "Next there is Heliot Vant's duty guard, Na Chanji. Na Chanji is dead—a suicide that took place shortly after the security commander interviewed it."

  Nicole faced Tora Soam's direction. "That could indicate guilt, remorse -"

  "—Or sorrow. Go ahead, Mitzak."

  "Next is Ambassador Rafiki's duty guard, Ivor Kroag. He was a military police private with the USE Force." Mitzak was silent for a moment. "Kroag was transferred to the USE Forces stationed on Amadeen eight days before we arrived. He was reported killed on DMZ duty three days ago."

  "And the fourth?"

  "The fourth, Ovjetah, is Heliot Vant, itself. A suicide."

  Kia spoke: "Probability laughs at you, Mitzak."

  "I agree, Tora Kia; but possibility is another matter."

  No one spoke as Tora Soam stood. Its footsteps moved about the compartment for a moment, then stopped. "Mitzak does the interview with the human duty guard agree with Na Chanji's interview?"

  "I don't know. Drac security was never allowed access to Kroag. In the same manner, the commander of the USEF military police on the orbiter was not allowed access to Na Chanji."

  Tora Soam's footsteps began again. "Each player hides its pieces of the puzzle from the other. This is of interest, since each side's behavior presumes the possibility of its own guilt. Yes, Mitzak?"

  "Ovjetah, this parallel security organization rulebounds the investigation."

  "Yes. That is obvious. Emmmm, let us construct the beginnings of a talma that will allow the investigation some movement." The footsteps stopped. "Nicole?"

  "Yes?"

  "Has the next meeting been arranged?"

  "Moore and I settled on three days from today, providing the conditions you demanded have been met."

  "Good. There are two additional conditions. In return for like cooperation from the Drac security team, the USEF military police must make its investigative materials and results concerning the death of Heliot Vant available to Fourth Officer Hajjis Da."

  "I understand. And the second condition?"

  "The recall order concerning Ambassador Rafiki must be rescinded. Rafiki will continue to represent the United States of Earth at the talks. Is there anything more? Mitzak?"

  "The lists of persons on the orbiter at the time of Heliot's death, until the present, in addition to their records—as much of their records as Hajjis Da could assemble."

  "Have you copied the information into the mission's central computer?"

  "Yes."

  "And the information I requested on the orbiter?"

  "Yes, Ovjetah."

  "Give me the codes. I will study them at a later date. Give Nicole the codes, as well. Nicole, do you have anything to add?"

  She held the tips of her fingers to her temples. "Perhaps." She faced Mitzak. "You said that the tests determined the presence of pronide in Heliot Vant's beverage."

  "Yes."

  "Who did the tests?"

  "Londu Peg. Heliot's personal health master."

  "And Londu Peg also did the autopsy that determined the cause of Heliot's death?"

  "Yes. Do you see a fifth possibility in Londu Peg?"

  "Mitzak, we are relying upon nothing more substantial than Londu's word both as to the cause of death and the evidence indicating how the poison was administered."

  "Why would Londu misrepresent the truth?"

  "What law of the Universe, Mitzak, prevents Londu from misrepresenting the truth—or from murdering Heliot? And if we doubt Londu's word concerning the cause of death, the suspects are no longer limited to those we have discussed. We are even in doubt that there was a murder." She turned her head and faced Tora Soam. "Where is Heliot's body?"

  "At the present: it is in Sindievu on Draco. It was sent home immediately after the autopsy." The Ovjetah paused. "Emmmm.... I see. I shall at once order another autopsy done at the Chin Kovah in Sindievu. And now both of you may go. Kia, I want you to stay. We must talk."

  "About what, my parent?"

  "It is a private matter."

  Nicole stood up. "There is one more thing, Tora Soam."

  "What is that?"

  "We know that this war is rulebound. You told me that my task was to determine how it is rulebound. To continue this investigation into the death of your friend will necessarily take away from the time I can spend on the more important problem."

  "What law of the Universe prevents knowledge of the circumstances concerning Heliot's death from being a possible path to achieving the larger goal?"

  Nicole held out her hand. "Mitzak, please help me to my quarters. I haven't been there since we arrived, and I am tired."

  She felt Tora Soam's hand on her arm. "My view is not as narrow as you suspect, Nicole. Do not close paths simply because another wants them explored. You must have better reasons."

  "Just as you must have better reasons than your friend's death to commit all of our resources to exploring only one path."

  "May the morning find you well, Joanne Nicole."

  She nodded, the hand released her arm, and Leonid Mitzak led her from Tora Soam's quarters.

  After entering her guarded quarters, she quickly felt her way around the walls—noting each light fixture, each piece of cabin furniture—then she lowered herself upon the bed platform and stretched out, her arms over her head. She took two deep breaths, relaxed her muscles, and tried to clear her mind for sleep.

  But there was something: uneasiness; questions hanging without answers; an overwhelming sense of dread. Her thoughts moved at random, the attempted suppression of a particularly demanding or disturbing thought only moving her mind to more demanding, more disturbing, areas.

  Jetah Lita had delighted in inventing situations in which to place its students; each situation designed to remove mental blinders from the students, inflicting upon them the kind of mistrust that would allow the corner of a truth to be seen. And the mental blinders that were removed—fairness, right, honor, morality, good, evil, love, hate, duty, justice, freedom, oppression—were all malleable creatures composed of transitory rules.

  Inventions.

  And the student said, "Jetah, love is not a thing of rules; it is a thing of feelings."

  Lita smiled. "And you do not see, Fa Ney, that feelings are creatures of rules?"

  "I do not, Jetah."

  "Do you love me, Fa Ney?"

  "Of course, Jetah."

  "Why?"

  "I just do."

  "And if all that I taught you were lies, if I constantly beat you, degraded you, and humiliated you, would you still love me?"

  The student thought. "No."

  "Then, Fa Ney, your feelings demand certain c
onditions they require that I be a certain way, and do certain things. Your love demands that I comply with certain rules—rules you invented."

  Fa Ney began to cry. "Does this mean, Jetah, that I do not love you?"

  "I comply with your rules, child. Therefore you do love me, as I love you. Did our discussion make you doubt that?"

  The student nodded. "But you love me ... because I comply with your rules?"

  "Yes. But that does not diminish the feeling. Understand the event and the facts that govern the event Fa Ney. Understand your feelings and the rules that govern them. Place your trust In such an understanding, for this allows you to trust your feelings.

  "Never place your trust in a word."

  Joanne Nicole sat up, crossed her legs, and rested her face in her hands. "Peace" is a word representing the compliance with a malleable set of rules. And "war." When. the Tsien Denvedah and the USE Force fight, it is called "war." When the Amadeen Front and the Mavedah fight, it is called "terrorism," "civil conflict,"—

  —or reach back in time for other words: "police action," "the troubles," "uprising,"—

  —And "murder" is a word. The Drac children who died at the kovah in V'Butaan were not "murder victims." They were casualties. They died by a different set of rules than did Heliot Vant.

  Nicole sighed, swing her legs to the deck, and stood up. She moved toward her compartment's terminal and sat down before it. Lita had said: "All rules aim toward goals and all goals are rules aimed toward further goals "

  "A circle—a chain."

  Ditaar had said, "To understand the circle, break it and travel both directions until you meet yourself. To understand the chain, understand the closest link, then travel in both directions until you run out of links."

  She sat back from the terminal. What goal was served by Heliot Vant's death? She spoke out loud: "It prevented the signing of the Rafiki-Heliot Treaty, it renewed hostilities upon Amadeen, and it made possible different terms under the reopened negotiations." ...And all goals are rules leading to further goals.