Justice (14 page)

“
The people close to him. There’s his wife and son obviously.
His PA looked pretty upset too. Obviously the security guard had a
lot to do with him.”

Nova tapped a
different area of the desk as she said each name and an image of
the person in question flickered into view.

“
Then of course there’s any enemies he might have.” An empty
black box with the word ‘enemies’ written across it lit the screen.
“At least that’s limited to the people who are actually here in the
dome. That should make the list a lot shorter.”

She leaned
back in her chair and looked at the projected images. The President
came into contact with so many people; her list contained only
those who were closest to him and already there were far more names
than she would have liked for any investigation.

“
Time-point zero is when the President walked on
stage.”

The time stamp
0:00 appeared at the top centre of the screen with the text
‘on-stage’.

“
Ten minutes later the power went out.”

The screen
responded to her words and put in a second time stamp at 0:10.

“
There’s panic and confusion and then approximately seven
minutes later I get the call on my comm-device that Jack’s rounded
up the family. A few hours later we find the wet footprints and
turn our investigation to the outside. I bring the body in to the
shipping bay two hours ago.”

More time
stamps appeared on the desk at Nova’s words.

“
I guess we’d better get started,” she said, with resigned
determination. “Keep the screen blanked out for now.”

The screen
went dark. Nova pulled out her comm-device. “Send in the
medbot.”

“
Aye aye, captain,” Jack said, his tone mischievous as usual.
He had mostly recovered from his injuries. He was still weak and
would be useless in a fight, but he’d demanded to return to duty
and help Nova with the investigation. She couldn’t fight it. The
one thing she needed was people she could trust.

She rolled her
eyes and waited. Two minutes later the medbot who had examined
President Feders rolled into the room. Its small square structure
was in complete opposition to Cal’s hovering sphere.

Nova studied
the medbot. Of course she couldn’t read the robot’s expression but
she performed the ritual none-the-less. She wasn’t naïve to robot
progression; they’d come a long way and unlike their early
predecessors robots had been known to lie, sometimes for
understandable reasons, and sometimes for no reason at all. The
ability lay in their core programming, indistinguishable from any
of the other AI aspects.

Nova had no
way to tell if the robot was lying to her, so she resolved to takes
its words with caution.

“
Medbot 337, were you the one to assess President Feders?”
Nova asked. She knew well enough that this was the robot but the
record had to be complete.

“
Yes.” The robot’s tone was eerily human. The voice reminded
Nova of a humble professional called to do their duty; just like a
human doctor would sound in such a circumstance.

“
What was your diagnosis for the cause of death?”

“
My original diagnosis was poison, likely from the plant life
of Drigoon. Further analysis has revealed that it was Cypris
poisoning.”

Nova nodded,
storing the name away to question Cal about later.

“
Were there any other anomalies?”

“
The President was covered with numerous scratches. It is
likely these were caused by the Cypris plant. Parts of him were
missing. They appeared to have been eaten or pulled off. This was
likely a result of the other plant life of Drigoon.”

“
What about before tonight? I want an entire medical history.
I am authorised as per Geron’s final wishes to access any and all
medical files available from the Cloud.”

The robot was
silent for a few moments. Initially, Nova thought it was going to
refuse her request but then the voice returned.

“
Medical records indicate that the anti-psychotics found in
the President’s system were prescription and he has been on them
for the majority of his life.”

Nova held up
her hand to stop the robot. “What anti-psychotics?”

“
Feromelotane.”

“
Were there any other substances found in the President’s
body?”

“
No, the Cypris poison, the feromelotane and a trace amount of
alcohol.”

“
Okay, go on,” Nova said. Inside, her mind raced.
Anti-psychotics? So the President wasn’t so stable after
all.

“
The feromelotane was prescribed to prevent certain psychotic
breaks. There have been many of these through the President’s life,
usually involving fits of rage and erratic behaviour. On at least
two occasions the President has disappeared for multiple
days.”

“
How many people know about this?” Nova asked.

“
The medical records do not give such information. However one
might infer that at least those closest to the President, and the
referring physician, knew of his mental instability.”

“
He could have flipped and walked outside on his own?” Nova
said.

“
Past medical history suggests that such erratic behaviour is
possible.”

Nova let out
the breath she was holding. If the President was so unstable it
could have been an accident after all. Or maybe, someone close to
him wanted it to look that way?

“
Tell me about Cypris,” Nova requested.

“
It is a plant, native to Drigoon, but also found on other
planets.”

A projector
extended from the medbot’s side and an image lit up the floor
beside it. The projection showed a green plant-like bulb, about
twenty centimetres tall, with an opening at the very top. Extending
from the base of the bulb were six leg-like appendages.

Nova watched
as the projected image scurried about the floor on its spindly
insect-like legs. The projector shifted and a small mammalian
rodent appeared on the ground near Nova’s foot, foraging. The
Cypris plant ran for the rodent creature and when it was within a
foot, the Cypris leant forward so that the top of its bulb pointed
directly at the unwary creature.

In a movement
almost too quick to follow something extended out from the top of
the Cypris’s head and skewered the creature.

The medbot
paused the image. Nova leant forward across her desk to get a
better look at the frozen creatures. The Cypris leaned all the way
forward. A barbed vine extended out from the top of its bulb to the
rodent and had punctured through its skin and into the flesh
below.

“
The Cypris ejects its poison from these barbs when it enters
the victim. The victim will die within a minute. Sooner if they are
running or excited. The Cypris plant will consume as much of its
prey as it can, and leave the rest for other predators.”

Nova shook her
head at the deadly plant. It had almost looked cute when it was
just scurrying around.

“
The Cypris plant is an excellent hunter. It has the ability
to detect vibrations on the ground and follow them to prey. It can
run extremely quickly and is also capable of jumping large
distances.”

“
But this planet is covered entirely by plants; humans, and
other animals can’t survive here,” Nova said, curious how such a
plant could have evolved.

“
True enough, although the Cypris is often known to prey on
fellow plants. Additionally, there are many insect species that
thrive here on Drigoon.”

Nova nodded
and waited, but the medbot said no more.

“
Anything else?”

“
I’m afraid that is all the information I possess on Cypris
and on the President.”

“
Very well then. Please stand by in case I need you again. Let
me know the instant you discover anything new with the
President.”

“
Acknowledged,” said the medbot, rolling out of the
room.

“
Scary plant,” Nova said.

“
Indeed. During your conversation I scanned the Cloud for
further information, but the medbot has told you all that is
currently known,” said Cal.

“
Thank you. Display the screen.”

Nova’s desk
filled with the images of those closest to Geron. She placed her
finger below Geron’s image. “Cypris poisoning.”

An image of a
Cypris with its barbed vine fully extended appeared below Geron.
Nova stared at the creature for a time.

“
What if one of them broke into the dome?” she said. “What if
Geron was just the first victim?”

“
It’s possible although unlikely. The security shielding the
dome from the rest of Drigoon is the best money can buy. Also, that
would not explain the robot.”

Nova nodded,
but reached for her comm-device all the same. “Jack, I want
everyone to keep an eye out for a Cypris plant. I’m sending an
image to your comm-devices now. I also want your people to start a
sweep of the entire dome. I want every corner checked for this
thing.”

“
Got it,” Jack said.

Jack’s
communicator clicked off, and Nova nodded to Cal to send out the
image, just as they received a call from Tanguin.

“
How’s the investigation?” she asked, although it had only
been a little over an hour since they last spoke.

“
Slowly,” Nova replied. “What have you got for me?”

“
I’ve gotten hold of Geron’s emails. The rest of his data will
take a bit more time to crack.”

“
Excellent! Tanguin you’re a life-saver.”

“
Hmm and don’t you forget it if there’s a payout for this
investigation,” Tanguin said, her eyes laughing.

“
Yeah, alright,” Nova said, with a grin.

Tanguin’s face
disappeared.

“
Anything worthwhile?” Nova turned to Cal.

“
Mostly professional communications; about the planet opening
ceremony,” Cal said as he scanned through the files Tanguin had
sent. “There is one here which I think you should look
at.”

The desk in
front of Nova lit up with paragraphs of text. Her eyes ran over the
words, her brows rising with each sentence.

“
Did the President see this?”

“
The record suggests the email was opened from his personal
device, a few minutes before the President went on stage for the
ceremony,” Cal replied.

Nova fell
silent. The contents of the message could mean a lot for the
investigation.

“
President Geron hired a private investigator to look into his
own wife,” Nova mused. “I wonder if he actually expected to find
anything?”

“
Past communication with the investigator isn’t on record.
It’s possible they met in person,” Cal said.

Nova nodded,
reading back over the message. Geron and Meaghan had married
because she said she was pregnant. Later on, she lost the baby.
According to the investigator however, Meaghan had never been
pregnant; it was some kind of hoax to get her hands on Geron.

“
What if he found out about the lie and it put him on edge?
Then the power went out and he lost it? Had one of his episodes and
walked outside where he was attacked?” Nova mused.

“
It is possible that the realisation of this kind of betrayal
could have led to the President having an episode, but that still
wouldn’t explain the robot.”

“
Maybe he took the robot with him?” Nova said. The theory
sounded weak even to her ears.

“
I think we must also look at another possibility. If Geron
chose to leave Meaghan given the false circumstances of their
marriage, any obligation he had to her would be void. She would be
left with nothing. What if she would rather see him dead, than lose
her fortune?” Cal said, with a surprising understanding of human
emotion.

“
You’re right,” Nova sighed. “It could have been his wife. The
display over his body could very well have been an act. We’re going
to have to interview them all.”

Meaghan came
through the door of Nova’s temporary office. The woman’s eyes were
red and swollen and she held a tissue to her face. Still, she
walked upright with a kind of defiant dignity.

“
Meaghan, thank you for coming,” Nova said, gesturing to the
chair on the other side of her desk.

“
I was under the impression I didn’t have a choice,” Meaghan
replied, her tone stiff.

“
Quite right,” Nova nodded. “My labourbot will be recording
our session.”

Meaghan
sniffed and gazed out the large window behind Nova where the green
plant-life of Drigoon stretched out. “In civilised society we get
legal representation.”

“
As I’m sure you’re aware, we’re far from a civilised society
out here. And this isn’t a formal Confederacy investigation; this
is an external investigation on a planet that doesn’t yet have its
own law enforcement personnel.”

Meaghan pursed
her lips.

“
Let’s get straight to it,” Nova said, changing the subject.
“Where did you go when the power went out?”

Meaghan’s gaze
returned to Nova. “I was ushered out by Bruce along with Geron and
Dustin.”