ENTOVERSE

“What else can you do?” Cullen said.

“Oh, I don’t intend just sitting here, waiting for something to come in,” Hunt told him. “We’ve already agreed where the answers are. I think it’s about time that we went out and looked for them. Tomorrow morning, I’m going out to talk to some people I know in the city. We’ll see what I can find out there.”

Late that evening, Eubeleus and Iduane met again. “Yes, she was there,” Iduane said. “The day before she went to see Baumer, she was at PAC. And she returned to PAC afterward. There is a UNSA scientific group there that she met on the Vishnu.”

“Ah. So what kind of a book is she writing, and who for?” Eubeleus asked.

“Maybe what she says. They’d be able to get her some help. She’s

a stranger here. Wouldn’t it be natural for her to go to people she knew?”

“Well, I’ve been doing a little checking of my own.” Eubeleus said. “And do you know who this UNSA group are?” The look on Iduane’s face said that he didn’t. Eubeleus nodded. “Then I’ll tell you. Have you ever heard of Dr. Victor Hunt? Or Professor Christian Danchekker? Just scientists, you think? They were the ones who uncovered the Earth surveillance and brought down the Federation. The man they both reported to was a UNSA chief by the name of Caldwell. He was also one of the architects of their strategy in what they call the ‘Pseudowar.’ And do you know who sent them to Jevien now? The same Caldwell. Now do you think I’m being over cau­tious? They are dangerous, and so is anyone connectcd with them.”

Iduane emitted an uneasy breath. “What do you want to do?” he asked.

“Let’s get the woman here and find out for ourselves what she’s up to,” Eubeleus replied.

“Shall I get Scirio to arrange something?”

Eubeleus thought for a moment, then shook his head. “No. We’ll leave him to just run Baumer. If she’s that well in, I’d rather we took care of her ourselves. Perhaps you could handle it personally. Use the German, since she knows him already, but through a different con­tact. I don’t want Scirio’s people involved.”

“I’ll get working on it right away,” Iduane promised.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

The next day, while Hunt was away in the city, Gina and Sandy had lunch together in a drab cafeteria on the level below PAC’s residential sector. The food was plain and monotonous. When anyone com­plained to the Jevlenese catering staff about it, they were told that the supply system was messed up. It had become usual to attribute every failure and discomfort to JEVEX’s being shut down.

“Squid shit and processed shoebox again,” Sandy said, looking down at what was supposed to be a sandwich. “It’s not really what you’d expect when you come all this way, is it? Our guys did better down the ice hole on Ganymede.”

“How did you ever end up at a place like Ganymede?” Gina asked curiously.

“When you work with people like Chris and Vic, anything’s possible.’’

“Yes . . . I think I can believe it.”

“Well, look at you. You’ve known Vic for a week. Here you are.”

Gina looked around. “You’re right. It’s sure a lot different from the Vishnu, I have to admit.”

“Although I think ZORAC is, somehow. . . ‘cuter’ than VISAR. It cracks jokes. Did you ever hear of a computer that cracks jokes before?”

“Maybe being stranded in space for twenty-five years affected it,” Gina said. “The Ganymeans would be okay. They could handle it. I’m beginning to get the feeling that a lot of things that would completely screw us up in the head don’t bother them at all.” She inspected a peculiar-looking yellow fruit with orange lobes. “Al­though we still have the direct link to VISAR here.”

They munched in silence for a while, exchanging grimaces over their respective dishes.

“I haven’t been near VISAR since we arrived,” Sandy said.

She spoke in an odd, pointed tone, as if she were trying to convey something deeper to test Gina’s reaction. It took Gina a few seconds to register the fact. Her expression changed, but before she could say anything, Sandy went on. “How well did you get to know VISAR when we were on the ship? It’s not just ZORAC with a different I/O system, you know. Did you take any time to.. . experiment with it at all?”

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