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revenues due to the mindless looting of scientific sites? The people you’re protecting here have even tried to hold our water supply for ransom, for crissake. Yet because of IPSO law , we’re still expected to provide them with protein, heavy metals and whatever else they decline to bring for themselves. Every damned year our planet has thousands more immigrants to feed. Immigrants who arrive with complete disregard for legal process and who expect us to support them while they operate without any respect for our laws.’
    Ann couldn’t have felt less moved. ‘You may want to be careful about incriminating yourself further, Mr President. These remarks could be taken as a confession.’
    ‘My point is this,’ said Krotokin. ‘If one of my people, for their own misguided reasons, chose to tamper with a delivery to these parasites, I could hardly blame them. One might ask why nothing happens when the habitats of legitimate colonists are under attack. But the moment their frustration drives them to make a single mistake, the Fleet shows up to punish them!’
    Ann summoned a sense of calm and tried not to shout her reply. ‘Perhaps it’s because the crimes you’re describing are minor and should be handled by your local IPSO representative. Whereas the deliberate bombing of a population site occupied by more than four thousand people is an act of outright war.’
    ‘If it is such a thing,’ Krotokin growled, ‘then clearly you’re on the wrong side of it, Captain Ludik. I will have my people investigate this matter and identify the actual culprit. In the meantime, I recommend you take this up with Commissioner Bak, who I believe needs to be consulted before charges can be filed.’
    In other words, the local IPSO representative in question – the person who should have been on top of the conspiracy from the start.
    Krotokin waved urgently to his aides. Abruptly, a call icon appeared in Ann’s view-field.
    ‘Incoming call,’ said River Chu. ‘It’s Commissioner Bak.’
    ‘Now there’s a coincidence,’ Ann drawled. She turned to her heavies. ‘Make sure they don’t leave.’ She swivelled and stepped back towards the ballroom for a little privacy.
    ‘Put him through,’ she said.
    Commissioner Bak’s chiselled features appeared on the video feed wearing an expression of thinly concealed anxiety. Ann could see a swimming pool behind him, backed by one of Yonaguni’s more ostentatious faux-Parisian villas.
    ‘Captain Ludik!’
    ‘Commissioner Bak, I assume you received my report.’
    ‘I did!’ said Bak. ‘Welcome to Yonaguni! I do wish you’d called when you first arrived.’ He pushed a strand of damp blond hair aside and tried for a winning smile.
    ‘As do I, Commissioner,’ she lied. ‘However, the mission profile required stealth – given the rank of the suspects involved, I could not contact you without risk of interception. I do hope you understand.’
    ‘Of course!’ said Bak. ‘And please, call me Darrel.’ Ann could see him struggling to figure out exactly how badly compromised his position had just become. ‘Though I strongly advise you to be circumspect in your choice of next steps,’ he added earnestly. ‘The political situation here on Yonaguni is very delicate. We’ve had a great deal of difficulty keeping the Flags and Colonials from each other’s throats, as you can see. But what may be less clear is that a conviction for the president would likely only cause a more radicalised faction to take power, which would lead to further violence and yet more convictions. Do you get my drift?’
    Unfortunately, Ann did. While she questioned his motivation, he was probably right.
    ‘And I think we both understand that there are also certain moral issues at play in this case,’ Bak continued. ‘It would send the wrong signal for the Fleet to be seen siding with Flags, surely? It would certainly make things harder for our organisation to function.’
    Ann tried not to grimace at