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"Yes," Sofia said, "your report uards"
"Allegedly," said Neil
"The footage may have been wiped, but I do have witnesses"
"But no perpetrator"
"All in good tis me to my first request I would like the council’s permission to search Platz Station We think she’s fled there"
Neil shot forward in his chair "Ridiculous"
"Miss Adelaide is your eh clenched teeth "That’s in the past"
"Is it? I wonder"
"I won’t sit here and listen to baseless accusations"
"They don’t seelanced left at Dr Bettina Moore, who ran all the medical clinics and associated staff She’d shared a bed with Alex, years ago, and they were still on good terms She tended to take his side
Sofia turned to her "Dr Moore?"
"Neil formerly employed the woman No one disputes this," she said in a clinical voice "The report says Gateway has been searched end to end, twice It’s certainly plausible she has fled to faround Whether Neil or his staff are aware of it is immaterial"
"Warthen provides security for my station just like everywhere else," Neil said "I doubt she could slip past such a vigilant staff"
"My staff are denied access to anywhere but the loading dock, by your orders"
"Which is where she would have entered from, if I’m not mistaken"
"Gentlemen, please," Sofia said "Neil, the Orbital Stations Security Act, which you signed, allows for unfettered access to any station by the head of security or his representatives"
"With the approval of this council," Neil corrected "Don’t lecture overn up after all"
Alex took the opening "Let’s put it to a vote then"
They did Five to four, in favor of giving Warthen access
An uncoers on the table
Oliver Devanneaux cleared his throat "If we could pleasematters," he said, quietly His area of responsibility: consumables
"Air and water," Sofia said "Certainly, proceed"
"Nightcliff has threatened to stop ship worry over these power fluctuations, which are happening almost hourly now" Oliver looked around at the rest of them "They have refused our offers to assist and now have built up a backlog of nearly twenty climbers"
"Blackfield will cave when the food runs out," someone said
"Alex," Sofia said, "you met with higed "He wants a seat on the council You all know that"
"Oh good," Neil said "That will fix the climbers"
"Perhaps we should address the root cause," Alex Warthen said He stared directly at Neil
A deep silence settled over the table
Sofia finally spoke "Which is?"
"I’ve been to Anchor Station," thethe shell ship with so that for years," he said
"I’aze across the table "These scans are the deepest they’ve ever done; one of the scientists there said so Not only that, but I’ve been informed that Neil recently took a trip to Darwin, to purchase solers"
No one said a word Neil felt their looks but kept his focus on Alex
"The sauards on this very station, three days ago If you ask me, it’s all interrelated"
"This is rich," Neil said "Are the Freenored him now He spoke to everyone else "First Neil visits Darithout any council approval In disguise, I ht add Then we find out about these ‘deep scans’ of the shell ship, which coincidently start around the saet the appearance of three cases of SUBS in orbit And finally, one of Neil’s prize scientists, Tania Sharerous trip outside the Aura aboard a scavenger ship The saht to Gateway under dubious circu you it’s all related Their probes of the shell ship are causing the power fluctuations, the SUBS outbreaks Neil’s scientists are working with reckless abandon This investigation should be centered on two places: Platz Station, and Anchor Station"
Neil sed He scarcely remembered the offhand re a detailed scan of the shell ship The da effort was completely innocuous and unrelated, but that didn’t matter Alex had seized the bit of information and now used it in bloody clever fashion
To his credit, Alex pressed the attack "Russell Blackfield, in ht to worry The power blips are an annoyance right now, but they are getting worse A clihtcliff like a bomb"
"They can’t fall, you idiot," Neil said "Their state of rest is to grip My engineers aren’t fools"
"We have only your word," the man replied "An independent review--"
"Now you’re just being an asshole," Neil said He glanced at the rest of the council "He and Russell are pigs in a blanket He’s just jockeying to get Blackfield to this table"
"Is it not obvious," Alex said, "to everyone here, that Nightcliff is critical to this equation? Take a deep breath if you don’t believe s Go on, sip your water"
No one said anything
Alex stood and put his hands on the table "This council, the nine of us, is only fifty percent of the picture Russell Blackfield, right now, controls the other half It’s too much power to put in one man’s hands You’ve heard of the riots down there? Let me tell you, it’s us they curse, not hiet him here"
Sofia spoke with abundant patience "Neil, your thoughts? Does Russell have the people of Darwin behind hi on her "All they know of orbit coh him Other than Alex and Michael, who here has visited Earth in the last six months? Gone outside the fortress in the last year?"
Silence in the rooo, that is true Arranging--"
"Arranging a purchase frolers," Alex said
"Critical inforht We’re all looking forward to the fruits of your discoveries up at Anchor Station, Neil I’ it, too"