Something rippled across his features, before they smoothed again to a careful blankness, one that made him look nothing like the person I'd just spent the morning in bed with.A stranger wearing his skin."The petition is expensive.It is… exorbitant.To even have theAssembly hear our appeal – to say nothing of the lobbying we'll need to do, the favour we'll need to court beforehand, the votes we'll have to buy… We don't have the credits.It's impossible."
The words hung between us.
To save his creche, Araxis needed an enormous windfall.Without that, they would stay as they were – hiding, the children at risk of being hunted.Terminated.
Cold sluiced down my back as I heard Alet Trident's voice echo in my mind.The only people who compete are desperate.They're out of options.
Araxis's shoulders were upright, his posture impeccable.He tucked his hands behind his back, and he was, in that moment, a perfect sinnenthi: a knight who had long since sworn fealty to his creche, no matter the cost."We travel to Thenat-6 so that I might compete in the Galactic Tournament."
Well,fuck.
PART TWO: CLASH OF COMETS
Judicial Interview, Day 2
Audio only; transcript follows
Parties involved
Subject, SS [alias, human]
Interviewer, Justiciar Tra Fell [TF in transcription]
SS: I thought this was only going to take one day.
TF: That is what we expected.Given your distress at the end of yesterday's interview and the higher dose you required to be fully submersed, we deemed it prudent to end the session early.You were also more… detailed than we had anticipated.
SS: [non-verbal sound used to indicate amusement {human translator's note: or discomfort}] Yeah, you practically had a front row seat to my sex life.IknewI was telling you all about it, but I couldn't tell how long it was taking.Lots of details, though.More than evenIexpected.
TF: Your candour is appreciated: indeed, it is essential for the judicial review process.We determine what elements of your account are relevant to our investigation as we have access to complete accounts from all parties involved; when a subject attempts to select what is shared during submersion, we inevitably lose important details.You are very forthcoming.
SS: It's nice to be getting a gold star in something, even if that's an explicit recounting of my sexual exploits.I mean, fitting, right?[non-verbal sound to indicate amusement {also, maybe discomfort}]Just so long as you don't sell the transcripts.We'd have to talk residuals.
TF: Interview records are strictly confidential, as you will have seen in the pamphlet with which you were provided.We have prepared an effective dosage for you.Are you ready to begin?
[Time passes during which the subject does not speak]
TF: You are reticent.Why?
SS: How much longer do you think this will take?Will I be done by tonight?
TF: It is difficult to estimate accurately.We have projected that you may require today and another additional day to adequately give your account, if we extrapolate from your first day of testimony.
SS: Right.And I just want to be clear: when I'm done here, I'm going straight to [REDACTED].No fucking around, no sitting in empty rooms listening to shitty canned music, no detours to get tea and a snack, nohe's not ready yet.You bring me out from under the injection, and we go right to him.
TF: Your concerns have been officially noted and added as an addendum to your file.This can be arranged, although you will need to remain on the premises for concluding interviews based on the findings.
SS: Where would I even go?
TF: You have posed a rhetorical question.We gather this means you accept our answer.The injection is prepared.We would prefer to have an early start, [SUBJECT SS].
SS: Then jab away, I guess.
[INJECTION ADMINISTERED; DAY TWO TESTIMONY FOLLOWS]
Chapter 12 –The FixIs In
The contents of my stomach curdled."You've got to be fuckingkiddingme," I hissed."Did you know?"
