Paula nodded in satisfaction. This was definitely her old adversary. The original one at least. Not that originality stood for much any more.
'How many people have visited her?
The ANAdroid wasn't designed for surprise, but it somehow managed to convey that impression. 'Your inspection three hundred and eighty years ago is the only one, Investigator.
'Thank you, she told the ANAdroid. That was the time when a political group on Far Away had boasted that they'd managed to extract their idol from purgatory. They hadn't of course, it was just a bid to gain more influence.
The lid flowed back into place, sealing the Cat back into a darkness that was due to last for another four thousand years.
'Are you satisfied now? ANA: Governance asked as Paula emerged out into the mellow Parisian daylight.
'Not entirely, no.
'It is not possible to break into the Directorate vault.
'I know. But there are a few other possibilities. Resurrecting her is something I've given a lot of thought to over the centuries. There are still plenty of fanatics out there.
'The Knights Guardian don't actually want her alive and walking round. It is politically convenient to have a leader who will return in the far future. That gives them plenty of leeway.
'Now where have I heard that before.
'This is a strange weakness of yours, Paula.
'We're all entitled to one.
'So do you still believe it was her on Sholapur?
'I think it's a strong possibility that I encountered a full clone version.
'Her DNA is probably easy to obtain. But where would they get a copy of her memory? We know she never had a secure store, she was too worried your Directorate would gain access to it.
'Her weakness, Paula said flatly. 'However, there is one copy that I know of. I'll check it out.
'I'm not being critical, but there are other matters that require attention. Quite urgent attention. If the respite Justine has bought us is to have any value, I must know what the Accelerators are planning.
'Are you trying to guilt me into chasing round after Marius and his cronies?
'I have to use guilt?
'If the Cat has been brought back in some form by the Accelerators, they clearly want her for some very dirty deniable work. But, as I suspect they're discovering, she's not easy to control. Her personal agenda will always come first. I can use that to catch her. Once she's in custody, she can be fully interrogated.
'An interesting application of logic'
'But logical nonetheless.
'Assuming you're correct about Sholapur.
'I believe a great deal of my usefulness to you comes from my instinct, a facet of personality you have yet to acquire.
'Correct.
'Thank you. However, you are right about following other leads. I reviewed Troblum's file on my way here. That presentation he made to Kazimir was very interesting.
'Yes. I considered it to be well argued, and highly plausible.
'That's not what I mean. It implies he has a very strong knowledge of the Dark Fortress itself.
'The Navy maintains an effective force around the Dyson Pair, it would not be possible for him to gain access to either of I hem.
'It would if he was part of the Navy science team. There aren't many people, especially Highers, who have his physical profile. Please review all the Navy personnel to have served at the Dyson Pair since the Starflyer War.
There wasn't even a moment of hesitation. 'That was an excellent deduction. I have the file.
Paula examined it. The identity was recorded as one Kent Vernon, a physicist from Salto. Exoimage showed her a face similar to Troblum's, but with ebony skin. 'He darkened his pigmentation considerably, though that face is definitely recognizable. Oh, of course, that name. He is descended from Mark Vernon. She smiled at the memory of Mark, a man really out of his depth, but a thoroughly decent human being. 'And Mark was married to Liz, who was Afro-American. Very neat, she complimented. 'If lacking in imagination. I'm surprised his Accelerator controller allowed that.
'He served a six month tour duty on the Navy Exploration Division science ship Poix fifty-six years ago, ANA reported. 'That particular research mission was concentrating on the inner two lattice spheres. They made some progress mapping tin-integral quantum function. Though the navy project is still ongoing; we still don't quite understand the mechanism behind the Dark Fortress.
'Even you?
'Even me.
'And according to his file "Kent Vernon" subsequently downloaded into you, Paula said as she scanned the exoimage. 'That ties up any loose ends as far as an inconvenient outside investigation is concerned. So let's see what real facts we can find. Her u-shadow called up the records from Troblum's apartment, and Daroca's utilities. Those for the period fifty-six years ago were already deep cached, but they were soon accessed with her authority rating. 'Look at that power consumption rate, she said.
'Nominal, for ten years. Implying Troblum wasn't there. Whatever he was doing took him off Arevalo for a decade.
'What kind of device takes a decade to build?
'His planet-shifting ftl drive has taken longer.
'Yes, but that was his personal obsession, and he was doing it with a minimal MEA budget. What would take the Accelerators ten years, with all their resources? And how is it connected to Dark Fortress technology?
'That was what Troblum wanted to tell you.
'Why didn't he just come straight out with it? she said in annoyance.
'He is a genuine paranoid. Understandably, given the clandestine projects he's been associated with, and under the supervision of Marius. A paranoia which was fully vindicated by events on Sholapur. He has probably left the Commonwealth altogether now. His starship seems quite capable of such a flight, even without ultradrive.
'I'd certainly like to leave, so I can believe that, Paula admitted. 'Unfortunately, wishful thinking is a luxury right now. List everyone who served with Troblum, and mine their history, please; start with his captain.
'The captain of the Poix was Donald Chatfield. A Higher, currently resident on Ganthia.
'All right, I concede this is more pertinent than the lead I have on the Cat. I'll go and interview Chatfield.
'As you wish.
'And you really can't guess what the Accelerators might have built?
'No. According to Gore, they wish to duplicate me and fuse this replica with the Void to initiate post-physical evolution. The systems to initialize another such as myself would be complex, but they wouldn't require any input from the Dark Fortress technology.
'Will that fusion work?
'Who knows?
'Very well, I'll call in as soon as I have something. Paula activated her field interface function, designating her exit coordinate. Earth's T-sphere immediately translated her back up to Sky Pier. As she crossed the reception centre to the station terminus her u-shadow told her Kazimir was calling.
'Bad news, he said.
Paula's heart performed a little flutter. There weren't many people left in the galaxy she cared about, but Justine was one of them. 'Justine?