“It is my impression that all the other bioprospectors felt similarly about Mr. Hasselemoga.”
“Uh-huh. But I didn’t see none of them hanging around those two skimmers that’ve gone missing on the two nights when port surveillance just happened to go out.”
From the last time they had talked, some of Seth’s words suddenly came back to her in an explosive, damning rush.
“How’s your luck been?” she had asked him.
“Not so good. . . . I’ve got a couple of leads on some spots down south . . .”
Down south. That was where the reviled Shadrach Hasselemoga had gone missing. Had Sethwyn been working the same general area? Was he afraid that his detested but resourceful competitor would beat him to discoveries that Case believed were rightfully his to make? Had he seen to it that Hasselemoga’s skimmer would crash and not be able to send out a call for help?
When a rescue skimmer had been sent out to look for the missing prospector, had Case been forced to make sure that it, too, would vanish without a trace, in hopes that no third party would be sent to look for those who had preceded it? Wasn’t that exactly what had happened so far? Meanwhile, rumors flew that the Deyzara were behind the twin disappearances. Divert attention. A classic maneuver of the clever criminal. Was Case responsible for them, too?
Kamis was rising to go. “I just want you to know, Administrator, I’m not telling you about this because I’ve got anything against this guy Case. Or because I happen to like this Hasa fella. I don’t even know him. I ain’t doing it because I’m any more fond of Fluva than any other human bean unlucky to be stationed here. I’m telling you because I’m a regular churchgoer and it’s against United Church orison for one sentient to belittle another with intent to cause harm. What happened to those two skimmers may or may not be the fault of this guy Case. Any stuff like that has yet to be proved. But the rumors ain’t fair to the Deyzara. That’s why I’m speaking up. I’d bet my pension they’re not responsible for what happened.” He pushed his chair back into the table. “Maybe if you have a chat with Case, you’ll find out for sure who is.”