Final Inquiries Read Online Free PDF Page A

where we're going, wherever that is. There is no way we can report back to anyone. So can you brief us now?"
    "I can go so far as to confirm the various quite obvious conclusions you have no doubt reached already. A very serious crisis has arisen, under circumstances that involve not only your people, and mine--but the Vixa as well. Beyond that, I regret that I cannot go any further at this time," said Brox.
    "Why not?" Jamie asked.
    "Because there is, at least in theory, a way you can report back. Until we depart Center System, it is possible that you could be carrying some sort of transmitter. It is conceivable that a device hidden in your clothing or supplies is transmitting audio or video or some other sort of data back to BSI HQ." Brox held up his hands to stop Jamie's and Hannah's protests before they could begin. " I know and you know that any such idea is absurd. I also know that you know that it would be virtually impossible for a concealed miniature transmitter to punch a signal through the mass of the ship we are in. And so on, and so on. But there it is. Orders are orders."
    "And paranoia is paranoia, and sometimes orders are absurd orders," said Jamie.
    "I quite agree. But there are certain powerful parties involved," said Brox, and gestured toward the ship all around them. "I think it might be wise to humor them. And before you can ask, I am not so much as permitted to tell you when I can tell you more. For what it is worth, I will stretch a point far enough to say that all parties involved--and, I should add, most especially the human officials--urgently desire that news concerning the case be kept contained, compartmentalized, as long as possible. If certain details were to reach human news services prematurely, it could be very bad for everyone--but especially so for humans."
    Brox hesitated, then spoke once again. "I would also ask you to consider that a failure to cooperate might not merely endanger yourselves."
    Jamie's eyes widened. In other words, Brox was saying, get them mad--whoever, exactly, they were--and they might blame me, or our people for it, and get very unpleasant. "We get the point," he said. "You'll tell us as much as you can, as soon as you can. But that to one side--what do we do now?"
    "You come me with," said a voice from behind them, speaking in an oddly accented, gravelly imitation of Brox's voice. Jamie and Hannah turned to see another Kendari--another Brox. Slightly distorted, not quite right in some subtle details, but Brox all the same. The shape was a little off. The neck was a trifle too short and stiff, and the legs too thick. It was pudgier than Brox, and it had a bulge, almost like a small camel's hump, on its back. At first Jamie thought there was something wrong with his eyes, that he was seeing double. But then he got it.
    "Of course," said Hannah. "Your simulant. But yours is more developed than ours."
    "Quite right," said Brox.
    "You all now come me with," said Brox's sim.
    "Yes, come you all," the humanoid sim agreed, walking stiffly forward to stand by his counterpart.
    "Still working on syntax and word order, obviously," said Brox. "Odd they don't preprogram Lesser Trade Speech, but never mind. Let us follow."
    "Do you think we should just leave all our gear on the floaters?" Jamie asked.
    "No," said Hannah, in a very sarcastic tone. "We should take everything we just put on the floaters off, carry it ourselves, let the floaters follow us empty, then put everything back on them when we get where we're going."
    "Brilliant repartee, partner," said Jamie. "But let's think about it before we leave our food and clothes and gear behind. We've lost all our luggage before--and we're not exactly communicating perfectly with the locals. Suppose that they carry it off to some storage locker and we don't see any of it again for two weeks? I'd feel better with a change of underwear and a toothbrush and a little something to eat in my pockets. Just to tide us over while the