Read The Engines of Dawn for Free Online

it."
    "Are you absolutely sure?"
    "Look, Ted," Silbarton went on. "The energy created in a Casimir vacuum would be sucked back into trans-space if it ever got out of control. It's the cleanest form of energy we know. And it can't blow up."
    "What is your separator for?" Fontenot asked.
    "It's to power the stardrive I'm working on in the gamma lab," she said.
    "Whose projects were being tested in the alpha lab?"
    "Gan Brenholdt and his students have exclusive use of the alpha lab," Eve said. "He was apparently at Friday-night services. He's on his way here now."
    "What was he working on?"
    "A stardrive system based on modified Alcubierre equations."
    "Which is… ?"
    Eve said, "You'll have to ask him, Ted. He can explain his work better than I can."
    "What you're saying is that you don't think I could understand it," Fontenot said.
    "No, I don't. But maybe Dr. Brenholdt can explain it to you, who knows?"
    The security chief did not seem particularly perturbed by Dr. Silbarton's manner. He then asked, "How many of these star drives are you people working on?"
    Silbarton said, "Mine, Gan Brenholdt's, and one by Dr. Ossam Hamdeen, but his is still in its design phase. He's at evening prayer, but he will be here shortly, too."
    Julia and Ben watched as the adults pondered the extent of the damage and wondered who or what had caused it.
    After a long pause, Eve Silbarton voiced a question they were all thinking, including Julia. "So who would have done such a thing? Who would even want to?"
    "Well," Fontenot said, looking at her. "You might."
    Several onlookers gasped at the remark.
    Eve Silbarton glowered blackly at the man. "The men and women who work here are colleagues, Ted, and I wouldn't think of sabotaging their work any more than they would think of sabotaging mine. So get that stupid notion out of your head right now."
    "Let me ask you this," Fontenot said. "How important would you rate your project over those of your colleagues?"
    "Fuck you, Ted," Eve responded. "I'm not going to answer any more of your dipshit questions."
    Lieutenant Fontenot surveyed all that was before him-the technicians going over the crime scene, the various witnesses to the event being interviewed at the far end of the hallway-then nodded as if agreeing to his own thoughts. "Of course, if this was a political act, it might look very bad for someone who has publicly expressed sympathies for the policies of the KMA,"
    "What?" Eve Silbarton stammered. "What are you implying?"
    Fontenot's assistant switched off his shouldercam, taking a signal from the lieutenant's wink.
    Dr. Silbarton saw this. "Turn that damn thing back on! I want a record of this!"
    Fontenot said, "We have to consider all possible motives here. And we all know where the KMA comes out on the Enamorati Compact and the Ainge, don't we?"
    "Hell, Ted, you just got here!" Eve said. "You haven't even begun your investigation. Who knows who did this or why? Forget Jack Killian's Mobile Army or his Mad Assassins or whatever the hell they're called. We've got a situation right here, right now. This thing might have eaten through a bulkhead, and if that had happened, you wouldn't be standing here right now looking like an idiot."
    "You think I look like an idiot?" he asked.
    Eve Silbarton put her hands on her hips and gave Fontenot the evil eye. Two of them, in fact. "You are an idiot, Ted," she finally said. "Get used to it."
    Fontenot turned to his crew of investigators. "Gentlemen, escort our witnesses to security detention so we can get their stories in a more comfortable setting."
    "Lay a hand on me, Ted," Dr. Silbarton snarled, "and I'll break all eight of your legs."
    "Are you resisting arrest?" Fontenot asked.
    Eve Silbarton's eyes went wide. "You're arresting me? What the hell for?"
    "For resisting arrest," Fontenot said. "Among other things. Conspiracy would be another."
    Dr. Silbarton said, "You can't arrest anybody for resisting arrest if you haven't arrested them yet, you worthless