Nicole stopped the terminal’s voice. The treaty did not satisfy the goals of either the Front or the Mavedah. She let her chin rest upon her chest. Tora Kia had said, the only goal to be satisfied upon Amadeen is death.
Whether the treaty were signed or not, the fighting would continue upon Amadeen. The treaty would have continued, for a time at least, the end of the major conflict between the USEF and the Dracon Fleet. Regular forces would have been withdrawn from Amadeen… but the fighting would have continued.
Neither the Front nor the Mavedah could be served by either Heliot’s death or the failure or renegotiation of the treaty. Both organizations were beyond diplomacy.
Who then? Whose goals are served by the failure of the treaty, or by the success of a different treaty? Neither the United States of Earth nor the Dracon Chamber could derive an advantage in continuing the war. The machines and sciences of both races showed them grinding each other down until…
A successful treaty would serve both Rafiki’s and Heliot’s diplomatic goals, as well as their personal career goals: Heliot Vant did not end its own life and Rafiki did not kill the Drac… unless there was something else-
What of the economic interests on Amadeen? Earth IMPEX, Dracon JACHE. Timan Nisak, and the dozen or so other companies?
Nicole shook her head. No one had made a credit out of Amadeen since the beginning of the war. Not only would the economic interests on Amadeen be served by ending the war, such service required, as well, an end to the fighting upon Amadeen. No one’s interests appeared to be served by Heliot Vant’s death.
"Perhaps Rafiki’s duty guard did it simply because he was a human and Heliot was a Drac."
Lita had said: "The first place to look for an answer is not upon the far mountain or up in the sky. First, clear the ground beneath your chin."
Ivor Kroag had been transferred to planetside duty soon after the Drac ambassador’s death…
But the human poured the drinks: the Drac, Chanji, supplied the glasses and carried them in…
"If Kroag did it, we’re talking about some improbable sleight-of-hand." And how could Kroag assure that the poisoned drink would reach its intended victim? Perhaps it didn’t matter which one died? The death of either ambassador would have interrupted the peace process.
Chanji?
In service of what? And if the Drac duty guard had done it, celebration would have been in order-not suicide. Dracs do not meet defeat, guilt, or shame with suicide. Suicide is the Drac talma to end unendurable pain.
-if it was suicide.
Kroag and Chanji in it together? How? Why?
She shook her head and deenergized the terminal. The negotiations were irrelevant to the terrorists upon Amadeen. Everyone else had a vested interest in the success of the treaty; and therefore in keeping Heliot Vant alive.
With her hand, she felt around the terminal for her compartment’s communications link.
"Damn!"
She withdrew her hand and sucked on her right forefinger, tasting blood. Carefully reaching back, her fingers felt that the plastic work surface was nicked and scratched. She found the sharp edge of the nick that had scratched her finger, felt around it, and placed her hand upon the control to the link.
She paused as an uneasy feeling swept across her mind. It was as though the last ingredient for a complicated recipe had been acquired-the final piece of an unassembled puzzle had appeared.
What recipe? What puzzle?
She pushed the feeling from her mind as she keyed the link. "Dracon Mission communications," the link answered. "How may I serve you?"
"I wish to speak with the USE Mission communications operator."
A pause. "And your name?"
"Joanne Nicole. I belong to Ovjetah Tora Soam’s party." As long as you’re going to drop a name-
"USE operator," answered a human voice.
"I would like to speak with Colonel Richard Moore. Can you tell me if he is accepting calls?"
"Wait one."
The click of a connection, a hum. then a voice. "Moore."
"Colonel, this is Joanne Nicole."
There was a brief, involuntary laugh. "What can I do for you, Major?"
Major?
"I see you’ve been doing a little research, Colonel."
"If the war should end, Major, there’ll be a wad of bad papers waiting for you. You can count on it. What can I do for you?"
"Tora Soam has instructed me to inform you that there are two additional requirements before your boss and mine can meet to discuss reopening the negotiations."
"They are?"
"First, information regarding Heliot Vanes death must be freely exchanged between Hajjis Da and the commander of USE orbiter security."
"That would be Major Haridashi. And the second requirement?"
"Ambassador Rafiki’s recall order must be rescinded."
"Hmmm. I will convey your information to Mister Eklissia. Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"Colonel, would it be possible for me to talk to Major Haridashi?"
"The only authorized line open between the two missions at the present is ours. What did you want to ask him."
"After Heliot’s death, why was Kroag transferred planetside?"
A pause. "I suppose I can answer that. We were advised, that keeping Kroag on the orbiter would only heighten the animosity of the Drac contingent. It was for the same reason that Ambassador Rafiki was recalled. We are trying to keep things as cool as possible up here."
Nicole sat back from the link. "Colonel, you said you were advised."
"Yes."
"By whom?" Nicole sucked the cut on her finger.
"By indirect means, the advice came from the Ninth Quadrant observation team. The advice sounded good, so we took it."
The Cut! She withdrew the finger from her mouth and imagined the webs of talman paths leading to and from the cut-a net that…
"Thank you, Colonel." Nicole keyed off the communications link, sat still for a moment, then energized her terminal, programmed it for voice response, and listened to Mitzak’s orbiter information.
The orbiter was a functional ore-receiving facility operated by a Timan crew. Neither Dracs nor humans from Amadeen had ever been there. The quarters for the negotiating teams had to be specially prepared-or had been prepared when the orbiter was originally constructed.
Nicole raced through the missions of the Dracon Chamber, USE, Amadeen Front, Mavedah, and their respective security and support units, until she reached the listing for the Ninth Quadrant Federation Observation Team.
Boatoam Ru Seagadu of planet Moag
Cherrisin He Taam, representative of planet Aluram
Darlass Ita, representative of planet Aus
Hissied 'do Timan, representative of planet Timan
Jerriyat-a-do’Timan of planet Timan, assistant to Hissied 'do