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  Chapter 19

  THE MASTER PLAN

  Conor woke up just as a robomedic was rubbing green salve onto his left leg. The salve looked grotesque, but it felt soothing as it slowly absorbed into his skin.

  “Good morning,” the robomedic stated in a slightly tinny voice as it continued to spread the salve evenly along Conor’s entire left leg. “I trust that you slept well.”

  Conor looked around. Kathryn was sitting up in the bed next to his, reading a videopaper.

  She turned in his direction and announced, “Good morning sleepyhead. I was wondering if you would ever wake up.”

  Conor smiled and said, “It’s good to see you too. Are you alright?”

  “I’m going to be fine,” Kathryn answered with a sly grin. Pointing to the robomedic, she continued, “Doc says that I will have a slight limp for a few days as my bone heals. It was snapped clear through, but he said that everything is going to be okay.”

  Conor let out a sigh of relief and leaned back onto his pillow.

  “I don’t get it,” Kathryn announced, waving the videopaper in Conor’s direction. “There’s nothing in here about what happened last night. Not one, single, solitary thing.”

  “You sound disappointed,” Conor answered as the salve disappeared into his skin, coloring the bruises on his arms and legs a soft, pale blue.

  “I am,” Kathryn admitted. “After all, it’s not every day that someone breaks into the courthouse and gets away with it.”

  Conor leaned over the silver metal railing attached to the side of his bed and said, “You don’t really think that they’re ever going to admit it, do you?”

  “No,” Kathryn answered with a sigh. “I guess not. They would look a little foolish.”

  “Just a little,” Conor stated as he watched the bruises on his arms and legs disappear slowly, and his skin return to its normal color. “Besides, the videopaper reporters would be all over them, asking them questions about what the intruders were after, what they got, why they haven’t been caught yet, and all that stuff.”

  Michael rushed into the medical lab. Racing over to Conor’s bed, he asked, “Are you alright?”

  “I think so,” Conor answered, surprised that Michael was not yelling at him.

  Michael grabbed their medical charts and read them quickly.

  “Your leg is healing very nicely,” Michael stated to Kathryn as he flipped the pages on her chart. “You should be able to walk out of here this afternoon with just a slight limp. And, if you take it easy, you should be as good as new in a few days.”

  Turning to Conor’s chart, Michael hesitated and asked the robomedic who had retreated to a corner of the room, “Are you absolutely certain that this is correct?”

  “Of course,” the robot responded defensively. “There is nothing wrong with my programming. I just recently had a software update.”

  “No offense intended,” Michael stated, continuing to read Conor’s chart.

  “What’s wrong?” Conor asked somewhat alarmed.

  “There is nothing wrong,” Michael answered. “It is just that the chart indicates that you broke six ribs and all of them healed themselves. Also, the rest of your ribs have added 10 percent more bone mass since your arrival. It’s as if your body is reinforcing itself, getting ready for the next time.”

  “Want to go again?” Kathryn asked Conor playfully.

  “This is not a laughing matter,” Michael stated sternly. “I have no idea what trouble the two of you have gotten into, but I suspect that when I find out I’m not going to be very happy.”

  “Alex hasn’t filled you in?” Conor asked.

  “No,” Michael answered. “I spent the night at Dee’s place and turned off my communication devices. We had a late-night meeting and, well, the rest is none of your business. All I know is that Alex left a message informing me that the two of you had gotten into some kind of trouble and that you were both recuperating in the medical lab.”

  “I wonder what Alex is up to,” Kathryn stated.

  “And why he didn’t leave Michael a more detailed message,” Conor added.

  “Will the two of you please tell me what is going on?” Michael asked impatiently. “Let me remind you that this is my spaceship and I am the adult here.”

  “Oh, please!” Kathryn stated indignantly. “That is the same tone of voice my father takes whenever we have a fight.”

  Kathryn suddenly realized that she had been out all night without telling her parents.

  “My father!” Kathryn shouted. “He is going to kill me!”

  “Calm down,” Michael stated. “Just tell me what is going on. I will deal with your father. It can’t be all that bad.”

  Michael grabbed a chair, sat down, and listened carefully as Kathryn recounted all that had happened to them the night before.

  As she finished, Michael let out a loud sigh and stated angrily, “Do the two of you realize what kind of a mess you have created? There will be an investigation. And the odds that the two of you managed to avoid being taped by a robocamera as you approached the courthouse are infinitesimally small. They will check out everyone who was in the vicinity yesterday. Everyone. And how do you know for sure that you were not recorded in that tunnel? And what are we going to say when they find out that the two of you required medical attention last night? We can erase the med bot’s memory and your medical files, but how do we explain your broken bones?”

  The medical robot turned toward Michael, a look of horror on its face as it heard the words “erase the med bot’s memory.”

  “We weren’t the ones waving laser pistols at people’s heads,” Kathryn stated without a trace of remorse in her voice.

  “And what about my planet?” Conor asked, trying to control his anger. “We can’t let them get away with this. We have got to stop them.”

  Michael paced across the room, thinking.

  The medical lab’s computer beeped twice and announced, “Captain LaRocque. Attention, Captain LaRocque. Incoming encoded communication marked urgent. Please respond immediately. The call is from Alex Kilgoramond.”

  Michael headed over to the computer, typed in his passcode, and blurted out, “Alex, what is going on around here? I’m gone for one night and all ...”

  “I’m just cleaning up a few remaining details,” Alex interrupted. “Have you talked to the kids yet?”

  “Yes, they just filled me in,” Michael answered.

  “Good,” Alex replied. “In case you didn’t notice, I borrowed your computer snooper. I used it to break into the Interstellar Court’s auxiliary computer system. It was surprisingly easy to break their security codes. They were pretty standard fare. I guess that they weren’t expecting anyone to even try to access their files, given that the penalties are so severe. Anyway, it didn’t take me very long to access the Court’s criminal investigation logs. They have assigned a Matthew Relcovic to find out who was involved in the break-in last night. I don’t have much on him yet, but I’m working on it. Also, they have detained a Darieth Jones for questioning. Ask the kids if they know who she is.”

  Kathryn nearly jumped out of her bed.

  “DJ is one of my very best friends,” she stated, struggling to get out of her bed. “We have known each other since grade school.”

  “You stay put!” Michael shouted, grabbing her by the shoulders and pushing her back into the bed. “The last thing I need is for you to hurt yourself again. Now, who is Darieth Jones?”

  “Like I said,” Kathryn continued. “She is a very good friend of mine. I have known her for years. She is a senior, majoring in interstellar politics, at Skyton University. She’s also an intern in the Interstellar Court’s legal research department. She was the one who told me about the meeting. That’s why we were in the tunnel last night.”

  “Great!” Michael shouted sarcastically, throwing his hands up into the air. “What next?”

  Michael leaned closer to the computer and said, “Did you hear that?”

/>   “Yes,” Alex answered, obviously concerned. “One shot of glendistrolal and that girl is going to lead them straight to Kathryn. In fact, they are probably looking for her right now.”

  The computer beeped twice and announced, “Sorry to interrupt your conversation. You have a priority one message from Christopher Jordan, local prosecutor. He says it is urgent. Will you take the call?”

  “I will take the call,” Michael stated. “But block all background noise and picture. I don’t want the caller to see where I am or who I am with. Is that clear?”

  The computer beeped once and answered, “Understood.”

  “Alex, I’ve got Kathryn’s father on another channel,” Michael announced. “I am going to put you on hold. I’ll let you pick up the audio and video.”

  Alex’s face disappeared and was replaced by Mr. Jordan’s.

  “Where is my daughter?” Mr. Jordan asked angrily.

  “I haven’t seen her for several days,” Michael lied. “Is something wrong?”

  “Don’t give me that,” he snapped at the computer screen. “Where is she? Three agents from the Interstellar Court of Justice’s Internal Affairs Unit just visited my office. It wasn’t a social call. They want to talk to Kathryn and they think that I am hiding her. They said if she doesn’t turn herself in for questioning within 48 hours that they will arrest me for aiding and abetting a fugitive. If that happens, my career is over.”

  Kathryn let out a soft gasp in the background.

  “Calm down, Mr. Jordan,” Michael replied. “What precisely did you tell them?”

  Mr. Jordan’s face was flushed with anger.

  “I told them the truth,” he answered. “That I have not seen her for days and that she was working on your campaign.”

  “Anything else?” Michael asked.

  “I told them that they should ask you where she was,” he replied. “What have you gotten her into? I swear that if you have harmed her in any way I will kill you.”

  Michael leaned close to the computer screen and said slowly and carefully, “Did you just threaten me?”

  “Damn right!” he shouted. “Are you going to tell me where she is or am I going to have to come after you myself?”

  “I’m very sorry about your daughter’s problems,” Michael answered. “However, I really don’t have any idea what you are talking about.”

  “Alright LaRocque, play it your way,” Mr. Jordan stated angrily. “But you better look out. I’ve got friends you know.”

  “Yes, I bet you do,” Michael answered. “Perhaps they can help you find Kathryn.”

  Michael switched back to Alex. Mr. Jordan’s image disappeared.

  “Did you hear that?” Michael asked.

  Alex nodded.

  “Any ideas?” Michael asked.

  “There aren’t many alternatives available,” Alex stated. “I’ll keep working on this Relcovic guy. Maybe we can come up with something to convince him to leave Kathryn alone. Everyone’s got a skeleton in their closet. The trick is finding it. As a last resort, you could wash her.”

  “You wouldn’t dare!” Kathryn shouted in the background.

  “Only as a last resort,” Michael stated firmly. “Hopefully, it won’t come to that. Alright, get to work.”

  Michael hit the computer’s off button.

  “What is a washing?” Conor asked.

  “It’s a probe,” Kathryn stated angrily. “If it is done properly, it wipes out a person’s memories over a predetermined time period. The psycho docs are all excited about it. They believe that it can help people overcome traumatic events in their lives. Things that they want to forget. But the procedure is still in the experimental stage. Some of the patients that have undergone a washing have suffered permanent brain damage.”

  “Michael!” Conor stated sternly. “I won’t let you do that to Kathryn.”

  “It’s only an option,” Michael stated as he began pacing across the room again. “We probably won’t have to ... wait. Why didn’t I think of that before?”

  Michael raced over to the computer and keyed in Dee’s personal code.

  Dee’s face filled the computer screen.

  “Hi sweety, what can I do for you?” she asked cheerfully.

  Kathryn and Conor laughed.

  “Oh, sorry,” Dee stated with a sly grin. “I didn’t realize that you had company.”

  “No problem,” Michael stated. “Just a quick question. Isn’t it true that Justices on the Interstellar Court of Justice have diplomatic immunity on Rylyn?”

  “Yes,” Dee answered. “They cannot be tried, convicted, or even investigated for any criminal activity except for suspected high crimes, such as treason or embezzlement of government funds. Even then, it takes a majority vote of the entire Interstellar Court of Justice to authorize the investigation. Why do you ask?”

  “I want to make certain that I have this right,” Michael continued, purposively evading Dee’s question. “It is illegal to investigate a sitting Justice for a crime unless the Interstellar Court has, by majority vote, authorized the investigation.”

  “That is right,” Dee answered. “That rule was invoked eons ago to prevent the Justices from trying to use the Interstellar Court’s security forces against each other.”

  “What is the penalty for violating that rule?” Michael asked.

  “Death, without appeal,” Dee answered.

  “Perfect,” Michael stated. “That is all that I need to know. As usual, you have been a great help.”

  “I don’t suppose that you’re going to tell me what this is all about?” Dee asked.

  “Of course not,” Michael answered.

  Dee’s image faded from the screen as Michael pressed the computer’s off button.

  “What was that all about?” Conor asked.

  “It’s really rather simple,” Michael answered with a grin. “The key to resolving our dilemma is to implicate one of the Justices in the break-in.”

  “I get it,” Kathryn stated. “If Relcovic thinks a Justice is involved he will back off.”

  “Right!” Michael exclaimed. “Any suggestions concerning which Justice to frame?”

  “I nominate Justice Casseday,” Kathryn answered.

  Chapter 20

  THE SETUP

  “How’s it going back there?” Conor asked using telepathy.

  “I’m fine,” Kathryn answered as she stopped and rubbed her right knee. “I banged my knee on something a little while ago, but I will be fine. Are you absolutely certain that this is the only way in? I just squashed a bug that had at least 10 legs. It was disgusting.”

  “I’m afraid so,” Conor answered. “Alex went over the schematics four times. This is the only way that we can get in without setting off the security system. Fortunately, nearly all of his personal security guards are back at the courthouse. This should be relatively easy.”

  “Famous last words,” Kathryn answered.

  “Are you sure that you are okay?” Conor asked. “I usually have to keep up with you. It’s not like you to fall behind.”

  “I will be fine,” she repeated. “As I said, I banged my knee against something, but it’s nothing serious.”

  “Here, let me take a look,” Conor said.

  Conor moved in close as Kathryn pulled up her right pant leg. A large, strawberry-colored bruise covered her knee and a large red welt was forming on her upper thigh.

  “That’s nasty,” Conor stated. “How did you do that?”

  Evading the question, she looked away and answered, “Like I said. There is nothing to worry about. I am fine.”

  Conor knew that she was not telling the truth.

  “This should help,” Conor stated, removing a packet of green ointment from a medical kit in his backpack and rubbing a handful of its contents onto her knee.

  “The next time you hurt yourself, just tell me,” he told her. “I have several medical ointments in this kit that can cure just about everything.”

  Conor
rubbed the ointment onto Kathryn’s knee in a soft caress until it had completely dissolved into her skin. He then pushed her pant leg up a little higher and spread another handful on her upper thigh, making sure he covered the entire welt. Kathryn blushed and quickly took his hand in hers and directed it back toward her knee.

  “Thank you, that feels much better,” she informed him.

  Kathryn gave him a friendly shove, leaned back heavily, and banged her head on the air duct’s metallic wall.

  Rubbing her head, she asked, “How long does it take for this ointment of yours to work? We have a job to do and I’m slowing us up.”

  “I’m not sure, but I have another idea that I think that you are going to like,” Conor answered.

  Kathryn rose slowly into the air.

  “Whoa!” Kathryn shouted out loud. “What is going on?”

  Conor put his right index finger to his mouth, signaling for silence.

  Kathryn asked in her thoughts, “Are you doing this?”

  Conor smiled and said, “I think that you will find the trip a lot easier now.”

  Kathryn reached down with her left hand and pushed against the bottom of the air duct. She floated forward, straight into Conor’s arms.

  “Nice catch,” Kathryn stated with a wide, mischievous grin on her face.

  Conor smiled as Kathryn gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

  “Any more surprises?” Kathryn asked.

  Before answering, Conor flashed a grin, turned, and started up the air duct, crawling on hand and knees.

  “Maybe one or two,” Conor answered. “You are just going to have to wait and see. After all, they wouldn’t be surprises if I told you about them beforehand.”

  Kathryn floated along the air duct, using her hands as springboards.

  “Hey, this is fun,” she thought. “Check this out.”

  Conor turned and watched as Kathryn rotated her body, corkscrewing her way down the air duct. He laughed as she lost control and bumped her head again.