{"id":183,"date":"2012-06-10T00:00:49","date_gmt":"2012-06-10T04:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/?p=183"},"modified":"2012-06-10T09:45:38","modified_gmt":"2012-06-10T13:45:38","slug":"twenty-four","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/?p=183","title":{"rendered":"Chapter Twenty-four"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

It started with the counter-claims, then progressed with strong-arming some of the religious congloms and the idealists into quitting their claims.\u00a0 By the time Mimir died, we\u2019d been pretending for a long time that nothing was wrong.\u00a0 We were told that nothing was wrong.\u00a0 Some of us, though, knew the truth.\u00a0 God help us, some of us knew the truth.<\/h3>\n

— Carson Taylor-Monroe, private log, circa 5242 PD<\/h3>\n<\/blockquote>\n

12 Novem, 5249 PD
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>\u201cHas there been any progress on the investigation, Amie?\u201d\u00a0 Padraig asked as he joined the psychic and Miriam near their consoles before the early shift began.<\/p>\n

Miriam smothered a wince as Amie turned toward their supervisor.\u00a0 Of course Padraig knew<\/em>\u2014she\u2019d told him herself.\u00a0 She just hoped that Amie didn\u2019t figure it out.\u00a0 Amie didn\u2019t want anyone to know someone had blown up her house.\u00a0 Even the media and the authorities had been hush-hush about the whole affair.<\/p>\n

Then again, why admit you can\u2019t protect an entire segment of the population?<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Amie said after the slightest of hesitations.\u00a0 \u201cNo, there\u2019s been nothing.\u00a0 No leads\u2026\u201d her voice trailed away as her hands curled into fists.\u00a0 Miriam winced and touched her arm.<\/p>\n

\u201cAmie,\u201d she murmured.<\/p>\n

She shook her off.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m fine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you?\u201d\u00a0 Padraig asked gently.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d Amie said firmly, dropping into her seat and warming up her console.\u00a0 \u201cThey blew up my house.\u00a0 They didn\u2019t blow up me<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Padraig and Miriam exchanged a look.\u00a0 Miriam tried to smother a wince as she dropped into her own seat.\u00a0 No.\u00a0 They just slammed home the fact that no one that\u2019s different is safe here anymore.\u00a0 How much longer is it going to be before it\u2019s not just psychics, but their friends, their co-workers, or just anyone who doesn\u2019t agree with the major congloms?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s all right to be frightened,\u201d Padraig said quietly, leaning against the console between the two women.\u00a0 His watery blue eyes focused down on Amie, taking on an intensity that Miriam could remember seeing only rarely in their supervisor.\u00a0 \u201cI would be terrified if I were you. You\u2019re braver than I am, that\u2019s for sure.\u00a0 I\u2019d have jumped the first ship to E-557 if I was you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amie went rigid for a moment, mechanically turning to look up at him.\u00a0 \u201cThere\u2019s nothing on E-557 that\u2019s a better option for me.\u00a0 The Commonwealth protects people like me.\u00a0 That\u2019s enough.\u201d<\/p>\n

Padriag made a quiet sound and shrugged slightly with one shoulder.\u00a0 \u201cAs long as you\u2019re sure,\u201d he said quietly.\u00a0 His gaze swept the quiet, half-empty office.\u00a0 There were a few people straggling in at the far end, but no one within earshot.\u00a0 His voice dropped lower.\u00a0 \u201cAn old friend of mine from the Colonial Office has been organizing\u2026trips\u2026to E-557.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not interested in leaving to go live in straw huts and eat grass,\u201d Amie growled, glaring up at him.<\/p>\n

Miriam winced.\u00a0 It\u2019s not all like that, is it?\u00a0 It\u2019s not.\u00a0 We know it\u2019s not.<\/em>\u00a0 \u201cAmie.\u201d<\/p>\n

She shook her head firmly.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m not running away from them, whoever they are.\u00a0 They want me to be afraid and that\u2019s fine<\/em>.\u00a0 I can be terrified, but I\u2019m not going to let them make me run.\u00a0 That\u2019s what they want.\u201d\u00a0 Amie\u2019s gaze flicked up toward Padraig.\u00a0 \u201cAll of us know that E-557 isn\u2019t going to be safe for anyone soon anyway if things keep going on like they have been.\u00a0 How many more claims were filed for that system yesterday that made it through primary checks?\u201d<\/p>\n

Padraig\u2019s expression went blank.\u00a0 \u201cTwo.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amie\u2019s chin lifted and she nodded firmly, shooting them both an I-told-you-so<\/em> look.\u00a0 \u201cTwo,\u201d she echoed.\u00a0 \u201cHow many more got quashed at the lower levels?\u00a0 How many got kicked up past us without us ever seeing<\/em> them?\u201d<\/p>\n

Sighing a long-suffering sigh, Padraig straightened up.\u00a0 He looked older than his years for a few moments as he shook his head slowly.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Padraig said softly.\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t like to think about that, Amie.\u00a0 I don\u2019t like to think about failing<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

It would be a failure, too,<\/em> Miriam thought as she tapped a few controls on her console and brought up a list of new files to review that morning.\u00a0 We\u2019re supposed to protect claims, not sit idly by while they\u2019re violated.\u00a0 The Foundation\u2014and all the smaller congloms\u2014trust us to protect their claims.<\/em>\u00a0 \u201cPadraig,\u201d she said quietly.\u00a0 \u201cHow many of the smaller congloms are looking at the same thing?\u00a0 How many counter-claims have been coming down the pipes lately?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cToo many,\u201d their supervisor said quietly.\u00a0 \u201cI kicked a memo up the food chain.\u00a0 I sent another one to the Inspector General\u2019s office.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are they going to be able to do?\u201d\u00a0 Amie asked, brow furrowing.\u00a0 \u201cThey only jump in after something\u2019s happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLike Mimir,\u201d Miriam added softly.<\/p>\n

Padraig winced.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m hoping they\u2019ll be able to get to the root of all of these insane counter-claims we\u2019ve been getting lately.\u00a0 Sephora\u2019s an old friend.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure she\u2019ll at least try to look into it, even if she can only spare one<\/em> inspector to investigate, she\u2019ll do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Miriam frowned.\u00a0 \u201cYou know<\/em> the Inspector General?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe went to school together,\u201d Padraig said, sounding weary.\u00a0 He shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cShe\u2019ll look into it if she can.\u00a0 It\u2019s within her mandate anyway, not ours.\u00a0 Once the claim\u2019s approved, if we screw up we tell them and they deal with it\u2014if the judiciary doesn\u2019t first.\u201d<\/p>\n

Amie sighed.\u00a0 \u201cThe judiciary.\u00a0 Another joke these days.\u201d<\/p>\n

Miriam stared at her.\u00a0 \u201cYou can\u2019t actually believe that, can you?\u00a0 And then turn around and say you\u2019d rather stay here<\/em> instead of leave?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBetter the devil you know,\u201d Amie muttered, standing up.\u00a0 \u201cDo either of you want a cup of coffee?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll take one, Amie,\u201d Miriam said.\u00a0 Padraig shook his head.<\/p>\n

As the psychic left them, heading for the break room, Miriam looked at Padraig and shook her head slowly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy did you ask her about the investigation?\u201d<\/p>\n

The muscles in his jaw tightened.\u00a0 \u201cBad things are about to start happening around here, Miriam.\u00a0 Worse than what\u2019s happening now.\u00a0 We\u2019re just seeing the first ripples, hearing the first rumblings.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been doing a lot of reading lately.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her brows knit.\u00a0 \u201cReading what?\u201d\u00a0 What could tell him that something bad is coming?\u00a0 Other than our instincts of course.\u00a0 He can feel it in his bones, probably, but why mention that he was reading something if that didn\u2019t have something to do with it?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cOld reports,\u201d he murmured.\u00a0 \u201cFrom thirty years back.\u00a0 Carson had this job back then, and when Mimir died. The anomalies started twenty-nine years ago and continued right up through the bombings.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her stomach twisted and bile started to rise in her throat.\u00a0 \u201cWhat kind of anomalies?\u201d<\/p>\n

A muscle twitched.\u00a0 \u201cThe kind we\u2019ve been seeing for the past six months.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe counter-claims?\u201d\u00a0 Miriam whispered.\u00a0 \u201cThe approvals that don\u2019t make sense, the ones that didn\u2019t get caught by the low-level checkers?\u201d<\/p>\n

Padraig nodded.\u00a0 \u201cAll that and more.\u00a0 There\u2019s been probes\u2014stuff that we\u2019re not supposed to know about, but like I said, Sephora is a friend.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo they\u2019re already<\/em> investigating,\u201d Miriam said, her heart starting to beat faster.\u00a0 Then the Commonwealth already knows what\u2019s going on.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThey used to be,\u201d Padraig said, glancing at the starmap that hovered at the far end of the room. \u00a0The red of Chinasia Corp, the purple of the Eurydice Compact, and the aquamarine of Idesalli colored vast swathes of the starscape.\u00a0 \u201cThree senators from the Compact and four from Idesalli protested the investigation.\u00a0 It came to a vote and everyone who wanted it all to be investigated lost.\u00a0 I\u2019m sure they\u2019re already purging the records now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat doesn\u2019t make any sense, Padraig,\u201d Miriam whispered.\u00a0 \u201cAren\u2019t they the ones being investigated in the first place?\u00a0 Why didn\u2019t\u2026\u201d\u00a0 Her voice trailed away for a moment as she tried to gather her thoughts.\u00a0 Chinasia is probably the prime offender.\u00a0 The Compact and Idesalli\u2014both competitors of Chinasia for resources and territory\u2014come forward.\u00a0 That shunts blame aside and gives the protests merit.\u00a0 God, have we all suddenly caught a case of stupid around here?\u00a0 They\u2019re playing us\u2014all of us.<\/em><\/p>\n

Aren\u2019t they?<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cIdesalli isn\u2019t being investigated,\u201d Padraig said quietly.\u00a0 \u201cIf they\u2019ve been doing anything, they\u2019ve been quiet about it.\u00a0 You haven\u2019t seen claims coming in from them, have you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI have, but they\u2019ve all been for territories that\u2014\u201d\u00a0 She stopped, then sucked in a breath, feeling sick again.\u00a0 \u201cThey\u2019ve been for territories that were claimed by smaller congloms, like Argopian or TriesteCorp or New Afrikans.\u00a0 Quit claims, things that had been abandoned in the last three to six months.\u00a0 It was taking a lot of research to double-check them all, to make sure that everything was on the up-and-up.\u201d\u00a0 She felt cold.\u00a0 \u201cEverything is<\/em> on the up-and-up, isn\u2019t it?\u00a0 Or at least they\u2019re making it look<\/em> that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Padraig slumped against the console, putting a hand gently on Miriam\u2019s arm.\u00a0 \u201cYou haven\u2019t done anything wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I have if Idesalli has been coercing the smaller congloms to quit their claims.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t blame yourself for that.\u201d \u00a0He sounded weary again, as if everything was suddenly starting to catch up with him.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s not your fault, Miriam.\u00a0 You couldn\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI should have seen the patterns.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve seen the ones that counted,\u201d he said quietly.\u00a0 \u201cThe active counter-claims.\u00a0 Those we can deal with on our end.\u00a0 Leave everything else to the Inspector General\u2019s office.\u201d<\/p>\n

Miriam pressed her hands flat against the edges of her console, trying to control the queasy feeling in her belly.\u00a0 She squeezed her eyes shut.\u00a0 \u201cBut you said that the Senate shut them down.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot everyone answers to the Senate.\u201d<\/p>\n

A shiver went through her.\u00a0 So that\u2019s how it is.\u00a0 Everything\u2019s starting to break down.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cMeet me tonight after work,\u201d Padriag said quietly.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s time we come up with some plans.\u00a0 Contingency plans.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor what?\u201d she asked dully.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor when things come apart,\u201d he said, then squeezed her shoulder and straightened.<\/p>\n

Behind them, another clerk cleared his throat.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is it, Marcos?\u201d Padriag asked as he straightened again, abruptly their supervisor again rather than a comforting friend\u2014and paranoid ally.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the Whispers, sir,\u201d Marcos Dengali said quietly.\u00a0 \u201cYou said to tell you if we came across anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Miriam\u2019s stomach sank as her head came up.\u00a0 Her fingers flew over her console, pulling up information on the system.<\/p>\n

Oh no.<\/em><\/p>\n

Her hand went to her mouth.\u00a0 She choked on bile and a sob.<\/p>\n

Marcos looked past Padraig at her, then at Padraig again.\u00a0 \u201cSomeone\u2019s staked a claim.\u00a0 And it\u2019s not the Wanderers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShut it down,\u201d Padraig ordered.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t,\u201d Miriam whispered.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s already been approved at the top.\u00a0 Idesalli\u2019s claimed the Whispers.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s starting.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It started with the counter-claims, then progressed with strong-arming some of the religious congloms and the idealists into quitting their claims.\u00a0 By the time Mimir died, we\u2019d been pretending for a long time that nothing was wrong.\u00a0 We were told … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-183","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p25yjF-2X","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=183"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":187,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183\/revisions\/187"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=183"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=183"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.embklitzke.com\/e557\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=183"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}