The Methuselan Circuit (25 page)

“Computer stop—as you were cadet,” Centurion Fjallheim said gravely, taking the blaster from him. Alexander fell breathlessly into the chair. The centurion holstered the weapon and sat in his chair, turning his screen toward his face. He looked at Alexander for a second from underneath his furrowed brows and sighed. Then he turned to the screen and announced, “Cadet Wolfe failed the simulation completely.”

Alexander’s heart fell. What would his father say? Fjallheim continued, “It should be noted that I expected this result and thought this interrogation technique was unnecessary; it should also be noted that I proceeded only under the direct orders of Commandant Augesburcke, and that I vehemently protested. Such stressors could have a negative effect on Cadet Wolfe’s future performance endangering a very valuable asset to the Service.”

Alexander looked up. What was he saying; did Commandant Augesburcke order this interrogation? Alexander had always thought, or hoped that the Commandant was on his side. He was now thoroughly confused, but there was no chance for questions. The centurion was continuing to dictate.

“It is clear that Cadet Wolfe had nothing to do with the murders of Agent Larry, Agent Jameson or Ambassador Skreen, however,” Fjallheim paused and stared at Alexander, “it is just as obvious that Cadet Wolfe not only knows the victims but he knows who the shooter is as well!”

CHAPTER 19: Conspiracy

Alexander was stunned by the charge. “Sir, I don’t know who murdered these people!”

“You know who they are, don’t you?” the centurion said, cocking his head to the side. “Remember cadet, you are under oath and the computer has a built in lie detector. Lying to a Legionary Officer is grounds for automatic dismissal.”

Khandar’s warning rang in his ears, but this was serious. Alexander could not refuse to answer the centurion’s question, besides if anyone should know about Professor Strauss it was Centurion Fjallheim. “I understand all that sir, but I met these three people only once. That was when Commandant Augesburcke had me deliver a data card to Professor Strauss.”

“Why would the Commandant have you deliver it,” he mused, as if to himself.

“I believe he meant to deliver it himself,” Alexander replied, shrugging his shoulders. “He came to Professor Strauss’ class, but the Professor wasn’t there, so he sent me after him.”

Centurion Fjallheim crossed his arms and started pacing the room, absently walking right through the middle of the hologram. It looked perfectly real except that the edges of the image blurred as the centurion passed through it. He stopped and bit his lip, as if uncertain about what to ask or—and this struck Alexander strangely but forcefully—whether he should ask anything at all. He sighed and said, “Where did you find Professor Strauss?”

“In the stern of the Tube sir,” Alexander said evenly. “Professor Strauss was with these three people. He did not introduce them. I handed him the data card.”

“I see,” Fjallheim nodded, turning away. “I wonder what the Professor was doing there and what was he doing with these three. They have no tie to his class or to his past.” He looked at Alexander again and picked up the data card. “This was found beneath the body of the Seer’koh Ambassador. The fingerprints tell us that Professor Strauss handled it after you and the Commandant. In addition, the data on the tape incriminates Professor Strauss and no one else. The contents are motive for murder. Professor Strauss has some questions to answer.”

“He was studying a large circuit from the Methuselan ship,” Alexander began to explain, but Fjallheim immediately whirled around and cut him off.

“Cadet Wolfe, I did not ask you to expound upon the actions or intents of the Professor,” he snapped with a stern look on his face. Alexander clapped his mouth shut, surprised by the outburst. The centurion’s face softened, but it was still grim when he said, “Is there any other time you have seen these three people?”

Alexander described the encounter before they shipped to Luna. “After they left there was one more thing that happened sir. Should I expand on that?” Fjallheim nodded, and Alexander told him about the zike rider.

“A zike was taken from the Tube at approximately that time,” Fjallheim mused. “The random blaster shots and erratic driving certainly point away from anyone with Legion training.”

“Sir, if I may,” Alexander began, but he waited for the centurion’s nod to ask the question he dreaded. “Sir, the lady agent, you called her Jameson. She seemed to recognize my friend James and he thought he recognized her. Is there any chance they’re related?”

The centurion seemed genuinely surprised at the question and accessed his panel. “It says here that his mother was killed on Golkos, but,” he stopped and shook his head. “I’ll have to look into it cadet, but for now you are not to mention Agent Jameson to your classmates—especially James. That’s a direct order.”

“Yes sir,” Alexander replied.

“That will be all cadet. It seems fairly clear to me that you have nothing to do with this and no further insight to offer the investigation. You are dismissed. The legionaries outside will conduct you to the terminal. You are to join your classmates and take the shuttle to the Academy—understood?”

“Yes sir,” Alexander saluted. Alexander turned to leave, but at that moment a legionary entered the room. He had no choice but to stop as the man blocked the door.

The man thumped his chest with his fist. Fjallheim returned the salute. “What is it trooper?”

“Centurion Fjallheim, The President of Pan America is on base. You are ordered to collect all your cadets and return to the Academy at once!”

The surprise on Fjallheim’s face was apparent, but he said, “Thank you trooper, you are dismissed.” The news obviously gave Fjallheim cause for thought. He seemed to completely forget Alexander.

“Excuse me sir, am I to return to the troopship or find my way to the terminal?”

“What, oh Cadet Wolfe, you’re still here,” he snapped, breaking out of his reverie. He looked at Alexander and thought for another moment. Alexander stood waiting; he didn’t dare ask anything else. The clock in his head ticked on and on, and it took at least another two minutes before Fjallheim reached whatever conclusion he needed to reach.

He went back to the hologram and pulled out the blaster. “Computer, continue simulation.” Fjallheim shot the Terran woman, finishing her off with brutal efficiency; however, the wounded Seer’koh was another matter. The saurian writhed in agony, crying out with a weird rattling scream—it struck Alexander forcefully—he’d heard that very scream before. Fjallheim tried to strike the head, but only succeeded in getting a glancing shot, burning the side of the neck and skull. The Seer’koh continued to scream. The centurion shook his head and put another blaster shot in the Seer’koh’s belly, causing such massive damage that the being instantly went into shock and died.

The centurion announced aloud, as if to himself, “They couldn’t have been killed inside Luna Base. The computer security protocols would have alerted base personal to the blaster shots. It’s also apparent that they were not shot with a single blaster or even two—that can only mean one thing, they weren’t shot with a blaster.”

He looked Alexander’s way as if finally remembering that he was there. Holstering the weapon, he ordered the computer to end the simulation and walked around the desk. He put his hand on Alexander’s shoulder, but again he stopped, looking at the data display on his sleeve. “You’re going to come with me cadet. There, now let’s collect Cadet Khandar. We don’t want to be here when the Presidential party comes through; it’s a veritable zoo!”

Alexander followed the centurion out of the room. After the delay, Fjallheim was now in a great hurry. Without so much as an explanation, he yanked Khandar out of his interrogation room and hustled the cadets toward the airlock. Halfway there, by Alexander’s guess, they rounded a corner and were face to face with a tall dusky skinned Terran in a dark suit. He was surrounded by an entourage of other suits, escorted by the lunar base Commander and followed by a squad of Praetorian legionaries—the elite of the legions. The Commander’s face went beet red at the sight of Fjallheim and the cadets.

“Ten-shun!” barked centurion Fjallheim, flattening himself against the wall. Alexander leapt across the floor to do the same and Khandar followed suit.

The President stopped, looking at the centurion and the cadets with a mixture of curiosity and surprise. “I thought all corridors were supposed to be clear of personal?”

“That was the order Mr. President,” the Commander replied, and he turned his wrath on Fjallheim. The centurion explained very quickly but very stoically that they were just informed of the President’s arrival, and he’d terminated interrogations to follow orders.

“Interrogating cadets, that’s a bit superfluous isn’t it,” the President asked. “After all, what can cadets do that’s so awful?”

“They didn’t do anything sir,” Centurion Fjallheim informed him. “They did however discover three bodies on the lunar surface. We are investigating.”

“Ambassador Skreen and two of our people were found murdered sir,” the Base Commander told the President. “We are investigating. Centurion Fjallheim was asked to interrogate his cadets and pass the information on to us.” The commander glared at Fjallheim. “Centurion Fjallheim was supposed to be on his way to the troopship by now.”

The President waved off any further explanation and stepped up to Alexander and Khandar. “This is a serious way to begin your careers,” he said gravely, asking them to introduce themselves. When they did so, the President’s brows rose in surprise. “Your father is Lyle Wolfe and your father was Demetrios Khandar?” When they nodded that was true, the President shook his head and laughed. “It’s a wonder you haven’t killed each other yet! General, make a note, I’d like to be informed when something serious happens between these two—it should be amusing!”

“Yes sir!”

Alexander took an instant dislike to the President and he could feel Khandar seething next to him. That made him feel better; Khandar was finally angry at someone else! The President turned away, and it was as if he forgot they existed at all. He and his entourage continued on. When they were gone, Fjallheim said, “You two will find no safety in anonymity; in fact, there’s no safety anywhere. We’re all going to be forced to choose between tradition and change. Remember this, you two especially,” his eyes almost disappeared beneath his red brows, that’s how serious he looked. Alexander listened intently. “You two are the icons for tradition whether you like it or not. Tradition has its place; it’s kept the Empire, and even the empires of our Galactic brethren going under the worst of circumstances. Yet there are some, this President included, who would use this crisis to impose change—be on your guard! Neither of you will have the choice of anonymity; you are too important!”

As they marched to the troopship, Alexander had a lot to think about. He didn’t understand why he was so important, but again it appeared to have something to do with his father and Khandar’s father. He exchanged several glances with Khandar. The Golkos was hard to read, but he was obviously thinking about things as well. When they arrived at the troopship, they split up

Alexander relayed all that happened to Treya, James and Lisa. It was obvious to all of them that Professor Strauss was the prime suspect in the murders, but there was no explanation for Centurion Fjallheim. Lisa voiced their collective thought when she asked, “Why did he show you all the stuff about the murder; then he delayed you so that you were certain to run into the President. It’s as if he wants you to look into this. Why, we’re cadets; we can’t do anything!”

By the time they’d gotten that far the troopship reached the Academy, but instead of docking, Centurion Fjallheim informed them, “There will be a two hour delay before we can dock because the Presidential flotilla is enroute to the Academy. We’ve been told to orbit out of the security zone. However, in order not to waste any time, I’ve established a datalink with the library computers. You may access your study files through your suits. I suggest you use the time wisely!”

There was a collective groan as the cadets returned to their studies. Alexander did the same, but he’d no sooner connected to his library database than he saw Katrina pop up on the etherlink.

“Alexander, it’s a good thing I got a hold of you! You’ll never believe what’s happening down here!”

“I’ve got news too, and I’ve got to get you to contact my dad; I need to talk to him somehow!”

“That’s going to be hard,” she told him, her pretty face turning into a frown. “They’ve quarantined the entire island, and there are security units patrolling a perimeter around our family’s houses—all of our families, mine, yours, Lisa’s and even James house.”

Alexander waved the others over and told them what Katrina said. Their faces were glued to the small etherlink screen embedded in the suit on Alexander’s wrist. “What’s up with that, why should they be watching our houses? We’re just cadets!” He assumed they were the source of the government surveillance, but Katrina shook her head and told him otherwise.

“It’s not about us, at least not entirely,” she said sadly, and then she took a deep breath. “We’re not just cadets, or at least you’re not—I screwed up with my big mouth—I was
supposed
to be at the Academy this year, just like you are
supposed
to be there now.”