Read The Gap into Madness: Chaos and Order for Free Online Page B

added several points
to his column.
    With a
small shake and a deliberate smoothing of her forehead, Koina brought herself
back to the present. “Why did you send for me?” Only a hint of reserve in her
tone suggested that she still held any doubts about her relationship with the
DA director. “Is there something you want me to do?”
    Hashi
spread his hands like a man whose soul was as open as his palms. “I seek only
information. My appetite for facts is bottomless, as you know. I am something
of a dragon myself in that regard.” He enjoyed joking about the truth. “One of
my questions you have already answered. I wished to know the nature of your ‘mandate’
as Director of Protocol. All well and good. I approve unqualifiedly. I hope
only that you are willing to tell me what transpires in your department.
    “What
actions has the GCES taken? What requests have been made of Protocol? What are
the most pressing matters awaiting your attention?” Deliberately he spoke to
her, not as his agent, but as his equal. “Will you tell me?”
    She
held his gaze. “If you’ll tell me why you’re asking. I mean, aside from your ‘bottomless
appetite for facts.’”
    On the
spur of the moment, Hashi decided that he’d been amiable long enough. He
permitted himself a sigh. With the air of a man whose patience was running out,
he replied, “Koina, you disappoint me. Have you forgotten that Godsen was
murdered, or that the venerable Captain Sixten Vertigus has been attacked? On
whom do you think the primary responsibility for the investigation of these
crimes devolves? Oh, on Enforcement Division Security, naturally. But Min
Donner’s otherwise admirable cadres are as ham-fisted as they are diligent. The
true work of investigation must be done by Data Acquisition.” The natural
wheeze of his voice took on a waspish buzz. “I seek clues , Director
Hannish. For that reason, your own labours, like any other activity here or on
Suka Bator, are of signal interest to me.
    “If you
doubt me, ask Chief of Security Mandich what he has learned concerning Godsen’s
murder which my people did not uncover for him.”
    As he
spoke, a slight flush came and went on her cheekbones. “I’m sorry,” she
murmured. “I take your point. I think I do know something that you might find
useful.”
    More
briskly, she continued, “You can guess most of what I’ve been dealing with.
Maxim Igensard has been burning the channels with demands. So have Sigurd
Carsin and Vest Martingale. Every five minutes I get another abject appeal from
Abrim Len.
    “I can’t
answer any of them right now. I want to tell them the truth, and I don’t know
what that is, any more than I did yesterday. But Data Storage is working on it.
In a few hours, I should have every file that isn’t locked away under the
director’s personal clearance on my desk.”
    Her
gaze said clearly, Even yours, Director Lebwohl.
    This
didn’t trouble Hashi, however. He’d always been chary of trusting his work to
Data Storage. Most of it was still held by Processing — and so walled around
with clearance protocols and access routines that it was well-nigh unreachable.
    “On top
of that,” Koina said, “Chief Mandich wants me to deal with Suka Bator for him.
Ever since they let that second kaze through, he and GCES Security can’t seem
to talk to each other without yelling.
    “But
there is” — she slowed thoughtfully — “one other matter. I’ve received a flare
from Captain Vertigus. Personal and urgent. He wanted to warn me” — she
swallowed a moment of discomfort — “that I might be next.”
    Almost
involuntarily, Hashi raised his eyebrows. “‘Next’?”
    Koina
didn’t hesitate. “Next to be attacked.”
    “Ah.”
The DA director felt suddenly that he had stepped off the surface of reality
into the near-infinite realm of subatomic possibilities. “And how does he
account for his apprehension?”
    “He
says,” she answered with admirable firmness,