Keene was still trying to collect his wits. He shook his head impatiently. “I wasn’t involved in any of this. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, really? Then allow me to refresh your memory of a few things.” Voler consulted one of the pieces of paper that he was holding. “The Osiris arrived in Earth orbit on Friday, May 6. On the evening of the following Monday, the Kronians held an informal reception at their suite in the Engleton Hotel, which I believe you attended. Is that so?”
“Yes, I did. What about it?”
“You weren’t on the officially prepared list of guests, I see,” Voler commented.
“I was invited by the Kronians directly,” Keene retorted.
“Oh yes, of course. You’d been good friends for a while, hadn’t you? . . . And tell me, Dr. Keene, is it true that on that occasion, you were introduced to a certain Catherine Zetl, a paleoanthropologist with the Smithsonian Institution, who has been involved in the Joktanian excavations that have been in progress for some time now?”
“We met, yes,” Keene confirmed. What did this have to do with anything?
“And how would you describe Ms. Zetl’s attitude toward the Kronians and the case they are arguing?”
“I don’t recall that we talked much about it.”
“Oh, you didn’t. Well, I have it on record that she is extremely supportive of them and critical of what she likes to call `official stodginess.’ ”
“Very well, if you say so. Am I being accused of something, or can we get back to what was supposed to be the business of this conference?”
Voler summarized: “So, you have been friends with the Kronians for a long time, in part because your professional interests coincide with their agenda. They arrange for you to attend a social gathering at which you meet another scientist sympathetic to their position, whose work happens to have included studying, cataloguing, and storing the very objects we have been talking about. And now let’s move forward almost three weeks to May 24. On that date, isn’t it true that you took part in another space mission conducted by Amspace—your long-term business associate who shares the same interests?”
It hit Keene then where Voler was going with this. Sudden dismay jolted him and must have showed. “No,” he protested.
“What? Are you saying that you didn’t go on the mission launched on May 24?”
“I’m saying that what you’re suggesting is ridiculous.”
“I haven’t suggested anything, Dr. Keene. What was the purpose of the mission?”
“I tell you this is ridiculous!” Keene said again, his voice rising.
“Please answer the question.”
“What is this circus supposed to be? I came up here to describe our work in repeating the Kronian orbital calculations. Am I supposed to be on trial for something?”
The room had become solemn. “I think you should answer Professor Voler’s questions,” Schatz said from behind Voler, voicing the general mood.
Keene drew a long breath to calm himself. “It was to test a design of a hybrid engine,” he replied.
“A chemical hybrid,” Voler supplied. “This was a test of a conventional propulsion system?”
“Yes.”
“But you are a specialist in nuclear propulsion, are you not, Dr. Keene? What was your role in the mission?”
“I wasn’t involved in that part of it.”
“Oh?” Voler feigned surprise. “There was another part? And what was that?”
“You obviously know damn well.”
“Yes I do. And allow me to inform the rest of the people present here what it was.” Voler turned to address the hall in general. “At the last moment, the mission was extended to include an additional phase: After completion of the hybrid trials, the Amspace craft made rendezvous and docked with the Osiris, where it remained for over twelve hours.” Voler peeled off the last of the sheets of paper he was holding and held it high. “I have here a copy of the loading manifest of personal baggage items carried by the Amspace craft on that mission. It lists as an item forwarded for Doctor Landen Keene, one carton of weight fifteen point five kilos, described as containing twelve bottles of assorted wines.” Keene looked across at the center table, where Voler had left the box that he had taken the replica from. “Well, let’s see,” Voler went on, “in my estimation that would be about the size of the box over there. So, a couple of weeks after meeting Zetl, you took a box similar to that one up to the Osiris, and lo and behold, two days later the specimens that we are told came from Rhea are shipped down, just in time for this conference. Another amazingly convenient coincidence.” Voler wheeled to face Keene fully. Finally, he dropped the playfulness that he had been affecting, and his expression darkened. “Seriously, Dr. Keene, are you really expecting us to . . .”