The other ship grew larger as it moved toward and above them, off on some tangent of its own. Some time later, two voices were heard in the corridor, interrupted by a third at the door: the horn-headed Gablian purser, saying in his formal way: “Great Discerner, may I present Honorable Ellin Voy, Honorable Gandro Bao.”
The Questioner turned toward the door, nodding slightly to acknowledge the deep bows of the two newcomers.
“Unimpeachable One,” murmured Gandro and Ellin in duet.
“Well come in, come in. Let me look at you.” She did look at them, from head to foot, each and both. They were dressed in simple tunics and soft shoes, he dark, she light. “Dancers, are you?”
“Yes, Spotless One,” murmured Ellin.
“Though we are still having no idea what that has to do with anything,” commented Bao.
“All in good time,” said the Questioner. “I set out the specifications myself, and I always have reasons for everything I specify. Also, you may drop that Spotless, Unimpeachable stuff. The Gablians allow no informality, but I find that even imaginative honorifics soon pall. If I am what those titles proclaim, it is purely good design.”
“We are wondering how to address you,” murmured Bao.
She shrugged. “I am a Questioner. Or, as the Gablians call me, a Discerner. I am an examiner and judge. My official role is as ethics monitor of human worlds, but I was designed to be more than that. Haraldson the Beneficent framed the existence of humankind—which category includes some mankind—as arising from intelligence, civility, and the pursuit of justice. He wanted justice pursued with beauty and joy. I was created as a means toward this end. It is my task to find out how mankind can live most justly, most beautifully and joyfully, assuming intelligence is capable of such a discovery. What you call me is irrelevant, but I do hope you enjoy cards.”
“We are being very good at cards, both!”
Questioner nodded. “Your ability with cards is one reason I picked the two of you from a lengthy list.”
“Hold fast, hold fast, hold fast,” blared the ship. “Entering worm-hole, entering wormhole, entering wormhole, now … “
Gandro picked Ellin up from the floor.
“Sorry,” Ellin muttered. “I’m not used to that, yet.” She took a deep breath. “Questioner, Ma’am, before we forget. We have a package for you.”
Gandro Bao nodded, burrowed into his pack, and came up with a small packet which he passed to Questioner with a humble bow.
Ellin said, “It’s from a Flagian trader, Ma’am. He left the ship the last stop back, but he said to tell you it contains the information in which you expressed an interest.”
Wordless with surprise, Questioner took the packet and turned it over in her hands. It wasn’t large. From the size and shape, she judged it was a data cube, one capable of some experiential recording. Well. This could be enlightening.
She put the packet in one of her capacious storage pockets while giving them both a long looking-over.
“Let us see if you can be more amusing than the rest of my so-called staff.”
She moved from the bench to a large, padded chair that had obviously been made to fit, pressed a button on its arm, and waited while a table emerged from the floor and rose into position before her. She gestured at them to bring chairs, while she herself took a deck of cards from a compartment in the table and began shuffling it with lightning-like speed.
“Are you always able to solve problems?” Ellin asked.
“Sometimes I solve them,” said Questioner, “even when I don’t.”
“This is being conundrum,” murmured Bao.
“Not really. In all humility, I assert that great peace of mind has been brought to the settled worlds by the mere fact of my existence! Divisive matters, the discussion of which had previously led to widespread civil disorder, are now referred to me for decision, and my decision is often so long postponed that people become accustomed to the status quo.”
“You delay on purpose?” asked Ellin.
“I do.” She nodded. “On matters which have no solution, I offer no solution, though I always claim to be on the verge of one whenever the matter comes up. Though Haraldson did not foresee that his Questioner would serve the function of conflict damper, perhaps it is as well that I do. Trouble is forestalled when both law and custom are required to await my decisions.”