The Smuggler's Den

Jan. 5 - Suzhou

The co-ordinates led me to a heavily wooded area.

I had received a coded message from an anonymous source, promising "the truth about Faith and Sanders" and directing me to an old smuggler's den.

Long range scans had indicated only one person in the area.

Approaching through the trees, I could make out the shape of a small rusty Firefly, Osprey class. I walked the perimeter of the site. I could see no one. He or she must be hidden in the bush or waiting inside the craft.

A small fire crackled away indicating recent occupancy. Boxes of beer and small crates where scattered in small piles about the site but, besides the ship itself, only an old truck parked on the slope provided anything that resembled cover.

I climbed atop the old space ship to get a better view of the site.

A voice garbled by a space suit came from the trees nearby. "Greetings."

I dropped down on the far side of the craft, and answered "Hello."

The voice continued, "Thank you for coming, Major."

"Thank you for contacting me," I replied circling the open end of the ship and approaching slowly.

"People whom I take seriously say you are honest in your pursuit of the truth, and of justice."

"I do what I can in these dark times," I answered. "You said you had some information."

"Yes," replied the voice, "These times are dark because of men like William Faith. You are concerned with what he has been involved with. I am concerned with what he may yet do."

I stopped on the ramp of the Osprey itself. I could barely distinguish the figure in the woods. He or she was indeed in a pressure suit and staying a respectable distance away from me. It was the least I could do to return the favour.

"Go on," I prompted.

"We may be of use to one another."

"What is your interest in William Faith?" I asked.

"I know him to be a murderer," declared the voice.

"How do you know this?" I pressed. I could use witnesses.

"For now, let us say that I have what I doubt you have - full and detailed knowledge of everything that transpired at the wedding reception on Shadow, from the ceremony to the evacuation during the bombardment."

I inclined my head, "I'm listening."

"As an initial gesture of good faith - pardon the expression... have you come across the name BriAria Mirajkar in your investigations?"

"Who is she?"

"Someone you should talk to. After that, you can respond, or not, to my next contact."

"You said you are concerned with what Faith may yet do," I said, "Sending me out to talk to others is hardly a good use of time under the circumstances." I wanted facts, not riddles.

"He has threatened the lives of everyone on the Rim, and more specifically, of people who knew him as Captain Neiro."

"Then we must move quickly," I prompted.

"You need to verify that I am not wasting your time, or trying to deceive or ensnare you. And for my part, I need to see that I am not exposing myself needlessly."

"If you wanted to stop me, you would have attacked by now." I offered.

"If I were allied with Commander Faith, I would not attack you, I would seek to deceive you."

An interesting remark.

"How can I be sure you are not sending me off on a wild goose chase?" I asked.

"By talking with Mirajkar. Let her be the test."

The leaves rustled and the figure moved away.

-----

Jan. 5 - Zenobia

Later, I sat in the surgeon's office of the Girolami Medical Centre, the checking the Alliance medical data base. There was no record of BriAria Mirajkar.

I checked the SIU files.

The raw data on the MacLaren's Incident my aide had provided was much more helpful.

I reviewed the tape.

I could hear Sentry's voice. This was before the action began. He was apologizing to BriAria and acknowledging that he knew Faith was her brother. Now I knew it. A little digging revealed that she was his half-sister, that they shared the same mother.

After the action itself, a person identified as V___ V___ indicated that it was BriAria that had captured Mikie Rhiardra, using her as a human shield as she withdrew for the field.

In the process of clarifying the point, a person identified as S___ P___ mentioned BriAria was a companion.

A person of interest indeed, with inside knowledge of the Rhiarda/Swashbuckler arrest and related to William Faith.

But why would she help me?