Aneka Jansen 5: The Greatest Heights of Honour (16 page)

‘This is bad,’ Aneka said softly. ‘This is really bad.’

5.1.529 FSC.

‘Peacekeeper forces were deployed outside the Herosian embassy today to control a growing crowd of citizens.’ Aneka was now wearing an almost perpetual frown while watching the news. The latest reports were not improving her mood. ‘The numbers have been growing for the past two days, but the mid-week break has resulted in a sudden increase in those protesting against Herosian acts of terrorism in Jenlay space.’

The screen switched to show some random citizen in a leather jacket and mesh T-shirt. ‘We know they’ve been attacking our ships. We want to know what they’ve done to the Senate.’

The presenter reappeared, his demeanour calm and dispassionate. ‘Ambassador D’Jarnis released a statement this afternoon stating that he had had no official statement from the Herosian government and that, until he did, he could only reiterate that the Herosians were a peaceful people and that they would not
start
a war. There has been no comment from the Administration here on New Earth other than to repeat that they are waiting for news from Obati.’

‘Were you expecting this?’ Ella asked. She looked worried too, and that was a bad sign.

‘You’re the psychologist,’ Aneka replied. ‘What’s worse? Knowing you’re at war, or not knowing, but thinking you might be?’

‘Right. Things might escalate before we get solid answers.’

‘And if the Peacekeepers have to restrain protesters to stop them invading the embassy it’s going to look bad. People will lose confidence in their policing agency…’

‘Jenlay are naturally pretty peaceful. It might not come to that.’

‘No, it might not.’

‘Call from Gillian Gilroy,’ the computer announced.

‘Put it through,’ Ella responded immediately. ‘Gillian?’ she asked as soon as the woman’s image appeared on the screen.

Gillian was looking nervous. Her classical, olive-skinned features were wrinkled by a frown. ‘Hello you two. I’ve persuaded David and Delta to come out to stay with us. I was wondering whether you wanted to join the party.’

‘We’re safe enough here,’ Aneka replied. ‘Winter beefed up the security on this block.’

‘I was more concerned about the kind of thing a bit of added security can’t handle. If they start dropping bombs, Mid-town is a likely target for first strike. Aim there and you’ll do extensive damage throughout the city, but out here…’

‘They aren’t going to be dropping anything any time soon. That’s assuming they do it ever. We still don’t
know.
’

‘I know, but…’

‘You’re worried. I get it.’ Aneka glanced at Ella and then went on. ‘Look, we’ll come out there, but only for a couple of days. We’ll get drunk… We’ll get you drunk and persuade Ella to do something inappropriate, and then things will get back to more or less normal.’

Gillian smiled, which was good. ‘It’ll be nice to have you here. We’ll see you in an hour or so.’ The screen went black.

‘Things will be back to normal?’ Ella asked as she got to her feet.

‘More or less normal,’ Aneka replied. ‘There’s a difference.’

Tristar Township, 6.1.529 FSC.

‘…deployed construction foam barricades early in the afternoon as tensions continued to rise.’

The news was depressing, to say the least. The video under the voice showed Peacekeepers in their distinctive blue body armour and helmets pouring the dense foam between light, plastic formers to create low walls in front of the gate of the Herosian embassy compound. The crowd looked… restive.

‘Rumours of arrests at the rear entrance spread quickly through the crowd, though the news was denied by officials and there have been no arrest notices filed with any Peacekeeper station. At fifteen hundred, riot gas was deployed as masked rioters attacked the cordon with makeshift weapons. The use of sonic dispersion weapons was approved shortly afterward. Peacekeeper Representatives have reported that fleeing rioters were marked with tracer chemicals. Anyone noticing the distinctive scent should report it.’

‘Rioting,’ Gillian said. ‘This is what I was hoping wouldn’t happen…’

‘Wait for it…’ Aneka said, still frowning at the screen.

The picture cut to some sort of burning building. There was signage above the shattered front windows, but it was now blackened and unreadable. ‘Homemade incendiary devices were used to destroy Sh’Thoris Imports in Downtown this evening. No one was in the building, which was gutted by the fire which Peacekeeper responders said was “unusually fierce.”’

‘And the victimisation starts earlier than I’d expected,’ Aneka said.

‘Head of the Federal Security Agency, Marcus Dowler, has put a request before the Administration to declare a state of civil emergency. This would allow the limited deployment of Marines to assist the Peacekeepers, make large public gatherings illegal, and allow for a night-time curfew to be enacted. The request has been refused but High Yorkbridge Representative Frederick Isherwood called for restraint from the citizenry…’

Isherwood was a typical Jenlay politician, or one of the archetypes anyway. Elroy followed the distinguished gentleman model. Isherwood looked good on camera. ‘At this time we have no news on the situation on Obati and the Administration would like to reiterate that there have been no aggressive acts made by any Herosians currently living on New Earth. Unfortunately, if this
unprecedented
level of unruly behaviour continues, we will be required to take stronger measures to regain control.’

‘I’m going to go out on a limb here,’ Aneka said, ‘and suggest that your politicians aren’t used to dealing with any form of crisis.’

‘A crisis to most of them is not having the right wine for a dinner with business reps,’ Drake said. Drake and Shannon had turned up late the previous evening, primarily because of Shannon. Gillian’s home was out on the edge of the city and the telepathic pilot had to deal with fewer depressed minds around her. Even so, she was not in the room; she was spending much of her time in the back yard. Aneka was on duty to take her drinks when required since Shannon could not hear her mind.

‘Basically,’ Ella commented, ‘he just admitted they’ve lost control, and it sounds like he’s making excuses for the Herosians.’

‘Uh-huh,’ Aneka said.

‘We need Elroy back here,’ Gillian said. ‘He can handle a crisis.’

‘It might be too late by the time he does get back,’ Aneka replied, ‘and did anyone else think Dowler was a little quick to push the state of emergency thing?’

‘Calling in the Marines this early would probably do more harm than good,’ Bashford agreed.

‘Those arrest rumours?’ Monkey said, sounding uncertain. ‘You, uh, don’t think…’

‘Someone started them,’ Aneka said. ‘Of course, it could have been anyone. I just don’t like the way Dowler jumped on it. And attacking Herosian businesses this soon?’

‘The report did say it was a bad burn,’ Monkey said. ‘That doesn’t sound like a normal accelerant…’

‘Look who’s been studying demolitions recently,’ Bashford commented, but he picked up a phone near where he was standing. ‘Old buddy of mine from the Navy went into forensics when he left. Best explosive ordnance technician the Peacekeepers have. He’s probably on the case…’

~~~

‘How are you doing?’ Aneka asked as she walked out to where Shannon was sitting, two drinks in her hands.

‘Oh… Not too bad. The headache’s gone at least.’ The blonde pilot took her drink, smiling a thank you. ‘I assume the news hasn’t improved? I’m still getting hints of annoyance and frustration from the house every so often.’

‘Actually, we’ve detected an undercurrent of conspiracy to go with the rest of the problems.’

‘Oh?’

‘Bash called an old friend in the Peacekeepers about a Herosian business that was firebombed. Monkey thought the fire sounded odd. Turns out that the FSA has taken over the investigation. They’re calling it “domestic terrorism” so it falls under their purview.’

‘Which is true…’

‘Yeah, but the guy had done some preliminary work and he thinks it was high-end military tech, not some citizens with Molotov cocktails.’

‘I’m going to assume that’s a firebomb of some sort and move on.’

‘It’s a bottle full of petrol with a burning rag stuffed in it.’ Aneka gave a little shrug. ‘There are some variations, but that’s the most basic form.’

‘It sounds crude.’

‘Crude, but effective, and a favourite of rioters the world over. In my time, obviously; petrol is harder to get your hands on now. Simple to make, relatively easy to deploy, and quite effective at disrupting police lines or destroying property. Bash’s friend thinks the accelerant in this case burned far hotter, and he said the responders had trouble putting the fire out, that suggests phosphorous, or something similar, in the mix.’

‘There are plenty of chemicals that’ll burn without oxygen. They usually need some sort of catalyst though which would probably survive the fire…’

‘And the arsonist wouldn’t want that being discovered,’ Aneka said, nodding.

‘You don’t seem terribly surprised that the FSA is covering this up,’ Shannon commented.

‘I’m a little surprised they’re getting away with it. And that Elaine hasn’t managed to weed out all the paid-off agents yet.’

‘Telepathy isn’t a perfect solution. You can get around it with the right training. Or they’re making it hard for her to get everyone checked out. She’s on it and they probably just exposed some more people for her to go after.’

‘Let’s hope so.’

High Yorkbridge, 7.1.529 FSC.

‘You’re worried,’ Truelove said to the assembled Representatives, ‘I get that. But this is no time to be allowing potential enemies to go undetected. Exactly the opposite.
And
it’s no time to be making snap decisions based on incomplete, raw data…’

‘Are you saying we are acting without due consideration, Agent Truelove?’

Truelove frowned at the speaker. Brittany Usher was a rising star in the Administration, one of two subordinate Representatives under Frederick Isherwood. Attractive as she was, the blonde woman had never used her looks to progress up the ranks; she had found money and influence to be more useful tools. Truelove had files on all the members of the FSA Oversight Committee, but Usher’s was the thickest.

‘Do you
want
me to say that, Representative?’ Truelove replied. ‘Examine the facts. We do not
know
why Obati is off-net, but you are pushing forward measures
assuming
that we are in a state of conflict. Despite that you are asking that an operation designed to eliminate internal threats to the Federation’s security organisation be suspended rather than accelerated. Does that not sound ill-considered to you?’

‘I’ll remind you, Agent, that we are here to oversee the operations of the FSA…’

‘No,’ Truelove stated flatly.

‘I’m sorry?’

‘This committee’s remit is to provide
political
oversight of FSA operations and activities. It is
not
to second-guess operational decisions and priorities.’

‘Administrator Dowler has made a clear case for the re-prioritisation of resources to search out the perpetrators of these acts of terrorism on the streets of this city,’ Usher snapped. ‘We are not questioning the priorities of the FSA, we are questioning yours.’

‘Representatives,’ Truelove said, trying hard to keep her voice level, ‘you and
Administrator
Dowler are politicians, not intelligence analysts or agents. If you were, you would, perhaps, know that you can’t clean someone else’s house while your own is covered in gopi.’

‘Our recommendation stands, Agent Truelove,’ Usher said. There was far too much light in her eyes.

Truelove took a deep breath and stood. ‘In that case, you will be receiving notification of my resignation within the next couple of days. I will, of course, be required to work through the next month to hand over to my replacement. I will be compiling a full report on the current state of the Agency and the interference of this committee to be handed over to Senator Elroy upon his return. Good day, Representatives.’

The light was still there in Usher’s eyes as Truelove walked out of the committee room, but there was a wrinkle in the woman’s brow as well. She had been hoping for the resignation, yes, but the report was an unexpected diversion in the planned trajectory.

‘Hear any of that?’ Truelove asked Justine as she picked her up in the corridor outside.

‘Are you trying to get yourself killed?’ Justine replied.

‘Of course not. I just don’t want you getting bored.’

‘Then buy some exotic underwear.’

Truelove gave her bodyguard a quick grin. ‘I might just do that, but no, I’m not trying to get myself killed. If they tie my hands and listen to Dowler over me then there’s nothing much I can do aside from worry them. I’m hoping that Elroy will come back, tell me I’m not allowed to resign, and beat all of them over the head until they stop being assholes.’

‘They’re politicians, Elaine,’ Justine replied wryly, ‘they actually
do
have a genetic disposition toward being assholes or they wouldn’t get the job.’

Tristar Township.

Truelove sat on a seat in Gillian’s back yard looking pensive. This was probably because she had Aneka, Justine, and Sharissa staring at her with frowns on their faces. ‘I’ve made my mind up, you know? If Elroy asks me to stay, and countermands the committee, then I’ll stay, but I’m not going to change my mind about this.’ It was a good, solid, determined statement, right until she added, ‘Really I’m not.’

‘Someone has to be keeping an eye on Dowler,’ Sharissa pointed out.

‘If the committee is too scared of civil unrest to face facts, then there’s no point in watching him. He’ll feed their fears and they’ll do what he says. We need Elroy to stamp his foot.’

‘She does actually have a valid point,’ Justine conceded.

‘How long before he’s back?’ Aneka asked.

‘He’s due in system on the seventeenth,’ Truelove supplied. ‘That’s well before my resignation will become final.’