I. The Man in the Chair

I had just entered the Mu Draconis system when I received the transmission.

It was Tillery Woodhen. "Major, Just had something occur on Al Raqis. A bomb has been left in my bureau here. Any guesses who left it?"

"A bomb?" I asked, "Has it been disarmed?"

"They're working on that now."

"Who do they have working on it?"

"The magistrate has sent in a bomb disposal team."

"Good," I said firmly, "Let them see the viper they have let onto their world."

"You know what this means," continued Tillery.

I did know. Still, I had to ask.

"Do you think this was a serious assassination attempt or merely an attempt at harassment?"

"Does it matter with a bomb?" he replied.

"It will depend if it was actually set to go off." I was still playing the skeptic.

"Two blocks of plastic explosive," he said.

That ended the debate. I cut the communication link as I entered the atmosphere of Al Raqis.

----

Feb. 4 - Al Raqis

It was well into the night when I landed. I docked on the embassy landing pad and hurried down the street to the main square of the settlement. By the time I reached the CNS offices, a crowd had gathered.

There was a sleek black transport parked outside the offices.

A tall companion arrived just behind me. "Is everything alright?" she called "I heard the commotion from the Guild house."

"Everything is fine now," answered Tillery, "Just an attempted bombing."

I recognized a few people. Lynx. The Magistrate Joan al Jafar and Tillery Woodhen, of course.

There was the girl from the photo with Lynx. Her name was Cindal. She removed some pins that appeared to be interfering with the hood of her cloak.

And there was the woman I had seen in the Keep meeting with Lady Bondar and William Faith on the day I visited Bri in jail. Faith had called her Reiko. Here, she watched the gathering crowd with barely concealed amusement.

"Attempted bombing...." I repeated.

The Magistrate snorted, "Just an attempted bombing!"

"In my bureau," added Tillery.

I scanned the crowd.

"Where was the bomb at?" Cindal asked.

Tillery clarified, "Under the desk in my bureau in there."

"And was there only one?" I asked. This was important. We were uncomfortably close to the building.

A woman I did not know but who was dressed to suggest a member of a religious order muttered, "Probably somebody else he almost ran over."

"Miss Mistwood," answered Tillery, "I check the spot I landed a second before coming down. Are you saying you didn't hear the car 20 feet away?"

Miss Mistwood sighed, "What are you suggesting? That I dove under your vehicle?"

"Any idea who?" asked Cindal.

"Oh, I have an idea," Tillery said darkly and he looked at me significantly.

Cindal continued. "I would be happy to hear that idea sometime...Mr....?"

"Woodhen," said Tillery.

"Mr. Woodhen," said Cindal.

"You are fortunate indeed Mr. Woodhen," I added.

Joan al Jafar looked at the Tillery and Miss Mistwood. "If this case is going to appear in my court I will have to remove myself from this scene. I have been burned like this before."

"No need, Magistrate," said Miss Mistwood "I feel unwell as it is. I shall go." She looked around at the crowd, nodded to the Magistrate, and departed towards House Bondar.

"Who will be in charge of this investigation?" I asked out loud.

Reiko looked at the me. "The Magistrate, of course." she replied. "Why did you ask?" she added with a whisper.

Joan al Jafar smiled at Reiko. "With the help of House Morloch I assume?"

Reiko accepted the honour with a little bow, "I would be honored, Magistrate."

"You have been involved in this case so far," continued the Magistrate "And your House does have the expertise I need."

"House Morloch will function as if you were the Head...in this case," added Reiko.

"Thank you Reiko," answered Joan "I must go and meet with the bomb squad and secure the evidence."

"I would respectfully suggest checking for second device," I insisted, "It is common practice to detonate a delayed device once rescue attempts are made after the first blast."

"Thank you," replied Reiko "but both devices have been removed by the bomb squad."

"You sure that was all of them," pressed Cindal.

"My team deactivated two devices," said the Magistrate, "The area is secure."

I nodded.

Cindal spoke up, "No disrespect to anyone, but anyone could be responsible, and you don't have access to everywhere."

Reiko turned to face me. "I will speak with you further, shortly. Please do not leave."

"Gladly Lady Reiko," I replied.

She raised her chin. "I am Lady Soyinka, stranger."

Ooops.

The Magistrate nodded to the crowd. "I will take my leave now." Then tapping Tillery's chair she added. "and we will speak more of Lord Faith." With that she departed.

Cindal waved "Oh and I'm Cindal....sorry I didn't mean to stay so mysterious..."

"Miss Flux, I remember you," said Lady Soyinka.

"I don't think we've met before," remarked Tillery.

"Editor," explained Lady Soyinka, "Miss Flux has a little mystery of her own, about which I spoke with you."

The tall companion, who had remained silent yet attentive all this time, nodded to Lady Soyinka.

"I'd need a reminder of the details," added Tillery.

"We have met before Lady Soyinka... briefly...at the Keep," I reminded her.

"At the Keep?" asked Reiko Soyinka

I continued, "You were speaking with Commander Faith and Lady Bondar."

Tillery grunted when I mentioned those two.

"May I ask what you were wearing, at the time?" Lady Soyinka inquired.

"I was in these clothes," I said.

"Ah, the messenger," she struggled to remember.

"I was petitioning the Magistrate on a judicial matter," I elaborated.

"Yes, I do remember, now," said Lady Soyinka "It is still not appropriate to use my given name."

"My apologizes," I replied humbly.

Meanwhile, Cindal was speaking with Tillery. "Once your criminal has found out he or she has failed they will try again, unless those were decoys," she remarked.

"Oh, I think this is just the beginning," he replied.

"So do I," she agreed, "And I don't think we should sit around for the ending."

Lady Soyinka turned her attention to the pair, "Editor, regarding Miss flux...I asked you about two murders. If such had been reported..."

"That's right," Tillery recalled "I wasn't able to find any information."

"Thank you," answered Lady Soyinka and then to Cindal she said, "I am sorry, Miss Flux."

"That is a shame," added the tall companion.

Cindal adjusted her breather mask "It's fine....if my mother was alive she would come find me....but I think she's dead.... father is definitely dead...and in a way....I hope he suffered..." She tightened her cloak around herself.

Reiko Soyinka flashed a smile at the pavings.

"Editor, do you still have your transport available?" asked Lady Soyinka.

"On planet transport or space?" asked Tillery.

"Space."

"I do," he answered.

"I suggest you do not use the housing you rented...for tonight...until the UXB checks it out," she said.

"I wasn't planning too," said Tillery "I just like to check on my offices on a regular basis."

"I will guarantee that your offices will not be bothered again," she stated.

That was a dangerous thing to guarantee I thought. Things were likely to heat up between Tillery Woodhen and William Faith.

"Evening, ladies, Till... What's all the ruckus?" It was Dex Argent.

"Someone tried to bomb me," declared Tillery.

"Bomb? Why in the 'Verse would anyone do that?" asked Dex.

"That's a long story," said Tillery.

"'Cause someone doesn't like us," blurted out Cindal.

"Doesn't like me, specifically," explained Tillery.

"Details in the next edition, then?" asked Dex.

Tillery Woodhen looks up at me. "You do realize the gloves come off now."

"I'd be hard pressed to find someone who didn't like you, Till," remarked Dex.

"They exist," said Tillery.

"You will need to register your .... the matter with the Magistrate," I said. I wanted to avoid the term vendetta in front of others. "The forms must be obeyed," I added.

The tall companion nodded in agreement.

"Mr. Woodhen what do you do?" asked Cindal.

"I run the CNS Corp," he said simply.

"Then that's why.." Cindal began.

Lady Soyinka chimed in, "From his previous displays of temper, I would guess that he has irritated a few..."

"...they ain't like'n how you print the truth..." Cindal said.

Dex Argent snickered.

"Ms. Soyinka," explained Tillery "I only lose my temper when provoked."

"...if you print the truth," added Cindal

"So it is with all humans, Editor." Lady Soyinka said definitively.

The tall companion chuckled "I do believe someone is trying to provoke you, Tillery."

"...or kill you," I amended.

Dex nodded. "They may well have succeeded."

"I know." replied Tillery "And I don't plan to just sit and wait."

"This is the second time in my acquaintance with you, Editor, that I have seen you NOT lose your temper," said Lady Soyinka "It perplexes me.

"Because the person provoking me isn't here," Tillery explained.

"Lady Soyinka... did you have questions for me?" I inquired.

"Yes, we shall retire to the coffee shop...Please come with me."

"Of course," I replied.

Lynx looked at me. I did not acknowledge him. If there was a chance that the bomber was watching the crowd, it was safer for him that way.