She checked the welcome monitor beside the door. Its another courier. Oh, its a captain this time. Usually you get a sergeant. Madame Vorsoisson keyed open the hall door to reveal a young man in Barrayaran undress greens, with ImpSecs eye-of-Horus pins on his collar. Do come in.
Madame Vorsoisson. The man nodded to her, trod inside, and shifted his gaze to Miles. Lord Auditor Vorkosigan. Im Captain Tuomonen. I head up ImpSecs office here in Serifosa. Tuomonen appeared to be in his late twenties, dark haired and brown eyed like most Barrayarans, and a bit more trim and fit than the average desk soldier, though with dome-pale skin. He had a disk case in one hand and a larger case in the other, so nodded cordially rather than offering any salutelike gesture.
Yes, General Rathjens mentioned you. Were honored to have such a courier.
Tuomonen shrugged. ImpSec Serifosa is a very small office, my lord. General Rathjens directed you were to be informed as soon as possible after the new body was identified.
Miless eye took in the secured disk case in the captains hand. Excellent. Come sit down. He led the captain to the conversation circle, a deeply-padded sunken bench which was the centerpiece of the Vorsoissons living room. Like most of the rest of the furnishings, it was Komarran dome standard-issue. Did Madame Vorsoisson sometimes feel she was camping in a hotel, rather than making a home here? Madame Vorsoisson, would you ask your uncle to join us? Let him finish eating first, though.
I would like to speak with Administrator Vorsoisson, also, when hes finished, Tuomonen called after her. She nodded and withdrew, eyes dark with interest but posture still self-effacing, self-erasing, as if she wished she might become invisible to Miless eyes.
What do we have? continued Miles, settling himself. I told Rathjens I might like to accompany and observe the first ImpSec contact on this matter. He could pack his bag and take it along tonight, and not have to come back.
Yes, my lord. Thats why Im here. Your mysterious body turns out to be a local fellow, from Serifosa. He is, or was, listed as an employee of the Terraforming Project here.
Miles blinked. Not an engineer named Dr. Radovas, is it?
Tuomonen stared at him, startled. How did you know?
Wild-ass guess, because he went missing a few weeks ago. Oh, hell, Ill bet Vorsoisson could have identified him at a glance. Or maybe not. He was pretty battered. Hm. Radovass boss thought hed eloped with his tech, a young lady named Marie Trogir. Her body hasnt turned up topside, has it?
No, my lord. But it sounds as though we ought to start looking for it.
Yes. A full ImpSec search and background check, I think. Dont assume shes dead-if shes alive, we surely want to question her. Do you need a special order from me?
Not necessarily, but Ill bet it would expedite things. A faint enthusiastic gleam lit Tuomonens eye.
You have it, then.
Thank you, my lord. I thought youd want this. He handed Miles the secured case. I pulled the complete dossier on Radovas before I left the office.
Does ImpSec keep files on every Komarran citizen, or was he special?
No, we dont keep universal files. But we have a search program that can pull records of good depth from the information net very quickly. The first part of this is his public biography, school records, medical records, financial and travel documents, all the usual. I only had time to glance over it. But Radovas also does have a small ImpSec file, dating back to his student days during the Komarr Revolt. It was closed at the amnesty.
Is it interesting?
I would not draw too many inferences from it alone. Half the population of Komarr of that age group was part of some student protest or would-be revolutionary group back then, including my mother-in-law. Tuomonen waited stiffly to see what response Miles would make to this tidbit.
Ah, you married a local girl, did you?
Five years ago.
How long have you been posted to Serifosa?
About six years.
Good for you. Yes! That leaves one more Barrayaran woman for the rest of us. You get along well with the locals, I take it.
Tuomonens stiffness eased. Mostly. Except for my mother-in-law. But I dont think thats entirely political. Tuomonen suppressed a small grin. But our little daughter has her under complete control, now.
I see. Miles smiled back at him. With a more thoughtful frown, he turned the case over, dug his Auditors seal out of his pocket, and keyed it open. Has your Analysis section red-flagged anything in this for me?
I am Serifosas Analysis section, Tuomonen admitted ruefully. His glance at Miles sharpened. I understand youre former ImpSec yourself, my lord. I think Id rather let you read it over first, before I comment.
Miless brows twitched up. Did Tuomonen not trust his own judgment, had the arrival of two Imperial Auditors in his sector unnerved him, or was he merely seizing the opportunity for some mutual brainstorming? And what sort of dossier did you pull off the net on one Miles Vorkosigan, and speed-read before you left the office just now?
I did that day before yesterday, actually, my lord, when I was notified you would be arriving in Serifosa.
And what was your analysis of it?
About two-thirds of your career is locked under a need-to-know seal that requires clearance from ImpSec HQ in Vorbarr Sultana to access. But your publicly recorded awards and decorations appear in a statistically significant pattern following supposedly routine courier missions assigned to you by the Galactic Affairs office. At approximately five times the density of the next most decorated courier in ImpSec history.
And your conclusion, Captain Tuomonen?
Tuomonen smiled faintly. You were never a bloody courier, Captain Vorkosigan.
Do you know, Tuomonen, I believe I am going to enjoy working with you.
I hope so, sir. He glanced up as the Professor entered the living room, flanked by Tien Vorsoisson.
Vorthys finished wiping his mouth with his dinner napkin, stuffed it absently into his pocket, and greeted Tuomonen with a handshake, then introduced his nephew-in-law. As they all sat again, Miles said, Tuomonen has brought us the identification of our extra body.
Oh, good, said Vorthys. Who was the poor fellow?
Miles watched Tuomonen watch Tien and say, Strangely enough, Administrator Vorsoisson, one of your employees. Dr. Barto Radovas.
Tiens grayness became a shade paler. Radovas! What the hell was he doing up there? The shock and horror on Tiens face was genuine, Miles would have sworn, the surprise in his voice unfeigned.
I was hoping you might have some ideas, sir, said Tuomonen.
My God. Well was he aboard the station, or the ship?
We havent determined that yet.
I really cant tell you that much about the man. He was in Soudhas department. Soudha never made any complaints about his work to me. He got all his merit raises right to schedule. Tien shook his head. But what the hell was he doingHe glanced worriedly at Tuomonen. Hes not actually my employee, you know. He resigned several weeks ago.
Five days before his death, according to our calculations, said Tuomonen.
Tiens brows wrinkled. Well he couldnt have been aboard that ore ship, then, could he? How could he have gotten all the way out to the second asteroid belt and boarded it before he even left Komarr?
He might have joined the ore ship en route, said Tuomonen.
Oh. I suppose thats possible. My God. Hes married. Was married. Is his wife still here in town?