"True, true," responds Zammis, shaking its head sadly and turning to Davidge. "What can one do, Uncle? Ever since Shigan took on its master’s robe and then earned the position of Ovjetah of the Talman Kovah, it has been impossible to convince my parent of its stupidity."
Falna laughs out loud at this. Davidge drums his fingers on the armrests of the chair for a moment, then says with half a smile, "You clowns ought to take your act on the road."
Our laughter is interrupted by Mizy Untav. The doorkeeper enters, bows, and announces the investigators from Aakva Lua. Mirili Sanda and Kita Yamagata enter. Sanda is wearing the same tan short robe, trousers, and boots from this morning. Yamagata is dressed in an all-white, high-collared jumpsuit with soft white boots laced up to just below her knees. A red flower is in her hair and her eyes almost glitter. I turn my head and look at Davidge sitting uncomfortably in his old snakeskin leathers scratching his beard. His gaze is fixed on the center of the floor.
It is impossible for me to fathom these human hormonal reactions. Kita Yamagata, who regards Davidge as an overage murder suspect, primps herself and preens in front of him like a vacci bird before a prospective mate. Willis E. Davidge, dedicated to teaching The Talman and line to an endless succession of Drac children, isolated from human companionship and celibate for the past three decades, now a murder suspect, is squirming in his chair because he wishes he looks more presentable before the woman who might charge him with murder.
Of course, I am no master on the subject of love. My own encounters were hurried, almost chance events between horrors, leaving me without love or loving. There is a barren loneliness eating at me, and between that and Davidge’s comical look, I would too become a clown. I envy him his discomfort as I take a furtive look at Estone Falna.
Falna is watching Sanda with both eyes as the Drac investigator folds its arms across its chest. "Earth IMPEX and Michael Hill’s family both want to continue with the investigation, although they are doing so through investigative companies other than Aakva Lua. JACHE is also interested in continuing the investigation, but unlike IMPEX, it is using Aakva Lua."
"Are you at liberty to reveal JACHE’s interest?" asks Zammis. "And what of Timan Nisak?"
"Nisak has been informed, but has not responded. As to JACHE’s interest, they have placed no restrictions on us, and it seems that Hill’s actions have the potential to affect business, and JACHE is in business." Sanda looks at Davidge. "The laboratory and autopsy reports are in and everything appears to be consistent with events as related to us by Willis Davidge and Jeriba Haesni this morning. Our pathologist reports that Michael Hill’s death was caused by massive trauma to his internal organs, as a result of his fall down the cliff." Sanda nods toward Yamagata. She nods back and looks at each of us, one at a time.
"As I surmised, the thermal drill is not an IMPEX model. There are no chemical markers in the explosive, and both IMPEX and JACHE are required by their laws to have markers in all of their explosives. That means that the explosive is from Timan Nisak. The case itself has markings that our translation service has identified as Timan."
Davidge frowns and says, "So, what’s an IMPEX sales representative doing in my cave with a Timan explosive?"
"Trying to kill both you and Haesni, I have no doubt," says Yamagata. "Understand that Thermex burns with such an intense heat that there would be no evidence left at all had Hill programmed and set off the thing correctly. Either he was not familiar with the Nisak model, he was nervous, or something else impaired his performance."
"It was something else," declares Jeriba Zammis. "Michael Hill was no killer. Everything you have said confirms that. Some threat, some incredible pressure must have been brought to bear. What of the supplier of this explosive? What of Timan Nisak ?"
"All talmas lead to Timan," Davidge remarks, his gaze still fixed to the floor.
Falna sits forward, looks from Sanda to Yamagata, and says, "We were told that this meeting had to do with some further questioning."
Yamagata nods and looks at me. "Perhaps I am in error, Yazi Ro, but when I was talking with you and Willis Davidge this morning I got the distinct impression that both of you were certain that the drill was Timan."
I glance at Davidge and he shrugs followed by a nod. I look back at the woman. "Davidge and I are implementing a talma devised by a Talman master on Amadeen and assigned to us by the Jetai Diea through Ovjetah Jeriba Shigan. The intended result of the talma is peace on Amadeen."
Her dark eyes aim at Davidge but her face is still turned toward me. "And Timan Nisak?"
"There is a new book of The Talman," I answer. "It will probably be published to all worlds in the near future. It describes how, under the direction of a quadrant diplomat, Hissied 'do Timan, Timan Nisak was used to begin Amadeen’s war."
Her eyebrows go up. "The USE-Draco War?"
"Yes."
Mirili Sanda’s mouth hangs open in astonishment. Equally astonished are Jeriba Zammis and Ty. Estone Falna sits studying the female investigator. Davidge leans forward and raises his gaze to the woman’s face. "Since their prehistory the Timans have survived and achieved superiority by manipulating stronger species into destroying themselves. The Koda Nusinda is called The Eyes of Joanne Nicole. It has been withheld from publication for all this time because ten or twenty years ago what is in the work would have probably initiated a war of Dracs and humans against Timan and the entire quadrant. At the very least, the bad feelings would have shattered quadrant interplanetary economic and defense agreements."
"What about its publication now?" asks Zammis.
"Enough time has passed so that its interest for most persons now is mostly historical." Davidge looks at Yamagata. "The Timans, though, might find the widespread publication of the Nusinda very embarrassing, and perhaps threatening. It outlines very effectively how some Timans function in regard to other species as well as how far some Timans are willing to carry it."
Kita Yamagata narrows her eyes as she says, "If the talma based on this book fails, perhaps the book will be rejected by the Jetai Diea."
Her partner frowns. "Even if it is published," adds Sanda, "it will be discredited. How better to make it fail than by removing those who are necessary to its success?" The investigator looks around at the persons in the chamber, and says, "This investigation, like your talma, seems to lead to Timan."
After a long silence, Yamagata says, "This is going to be expensive."
Sanda waves its hand back and forth. "J ACHE has placed a substantial line of credit at our disposal. I’m sure they will increase it when I include this new information." It looks at Davidge. "May I have a copy of the Koda Nusinda?"
"Yes," answers Davidge. "The Ovjetah asked me if I thought I should supply copies to you. I answered that I thought I should. Then perhaps it is talma, it said."
"What about the talma?" I ask Davidge. "JACHE might fund Aakva Lua’s investigation on Timan, but what about ours?"
Davidge, unaware that he is doing so, scratches his beard. "I don’t know. You have the funds from the Jetai Diea. I must have some money on the reprints of my translation." He looks at Zammis and both Zammis and Ty appear stunned. Zammis looks at the investigators. "May we have a moment alone?"
"Of course," says Sanda. It bows and both it and Yamagata leave the room. I begin to follow, but Davidge restrains me with a hand upon my shoulder.
"Uncle," Zammis begins, "you may go anywhere you wish and mount virtually any size and type of expedition you have in mind short of an armed invasion of the quadrant."