The Cultist's Retreat (The Erik Midgard Case Files Volume 4)

Chapter 6

With that promising-looking lead leading nowhere - and the distraction it had provided gone - the plant appeared in front of my eyes again before I was halfway back to the lounge.

This time, it was joined by the rodents, both durlstodons and durlstotheriums and both the adults and the babies. Their eyes stared at me out of my memory, waiting for me to see the connection, and wondering why it was taking so long. The same instincts that had led me to the phonecom were telling me that there was something important here, but when I tried to grasp it, I only got thin air.

The lounge was occupied. Kianda was sitting on one of the sofa, her legs crossed and one arm thrown across the back. Physically, she looked relaxed, but her face was absolutely neutral, as if she was playing poker and not for fun. Despoina was sitting opposite her and not looking at her, making notes on a palmcom.

"...Would it be simpler if I talked to your partner?"

"He isn't my partner. Darren is giving a presentation at a forensics conference on Persephone. Eleusinian is here solely because he was the only one available and my boss insisted," said Despoina. "If I could have brought anyone else, I would have. So, service in the Solar Union navy and now you're a cruise captain with Starscape?"

"It's the only place to be if you want to use new technology as soon as it leaves the lab," said Kianda. "Peacetime military development is always slow."

"And the pay's better, I'm sure," said Despoina, without looking up.

"The academy committed me to five years in the fleet. I served fifteen," said Kianda. "If I had stayed, by now, I'd be spending most of my time on planets behind desks."

"Fine. Tell me about the other guests. Any you've ever met before?"

"Three. The professor, the colonel, and Dr. Cybele."

"How long have you known them? And how well?"

"None of them have ever struck me as notably homicidal."

"That was a serious question, captain." Despoina did look up this time.

"That was a serious answer," said Kianda, without any change in her expression. "I've known Colonel Thor the longest and the best. We have similar investment strategies. We've met at a lot of events like this. Professor Okuninushi and Dr. Cybele were passengers on my ships at different times. I entertained both of them at the captain's table. Based on my experiences, none of them would have done it."

"The certainty must be wonderful. How about anyone else?"

"I haven't known any of them long enough to form reliable judgements."

"Even though you go to events like this a lot? You've never met any of the others before?"

"Emerging temporal technology is a niche investment - the tight regulations don't help entrepreneurship - but I wouldn't say three out of six is that surprising. And I've obviously never met the Venusians before."

"Let me remind you you're not in the Solar Union, captain," said Despoina.

"I beg your pardon. I always forget how important that fact is to Saturnians," said Kianda. "This is the Jupiter Imperia, after all. I can't believe I was considering moving here. Please continue."

"Actually, that'll do for now," said Despoina, putting her palmcom away and standing up. "It'll be interesting to see what the colonel and the doctor have to say. Mr Wayfinder. Mr Kairos. I'll speak to you both later."

I started. Kianda sat up. Something bumped in the corridor opposite mine. Kairos - red-faced behind his beard - stepped into the lounge.

"My apologises, detective. I... didn't want to interrupt."