This Day All Gods Die by Stephen R. Donaldson Read Free Book Online Page A

Members believed Fane's argument that we would be weaker if we were separated from the UMC—
    and right now their lives
    depend on making us as strong as possible."
    She fell silent. After a moment her gaze shifted from Warden to Hashi.
    Warden and Chief Mandich were also looking at the DA director. The time had come for him to speak.
    He didn't hesitate. He was at home among the uncertainties which crowded Warden's office, the swirl of secret intentions; in his element. "Director Dios," he offered with a sly smile, "you might find it entertaining to accept the First Executive Assistant's call."
    "Why?" Warden asked.
    Hashi shrugged delicately. "I suspect that his reasons for wishing to address you have little or nothing to do with Captain Vertigus' Bill. The issues he hopes to obfuscate may prove to be of another kind altogether."
    Warden shook his head. He seemed to be beyond surprise.
    "I want to hear your report first."
    Hashi bowed slightly. "As you wish."
    Ignoring the pressure of scrutiny from Koina and Chief Mandich, he presented his information directly to Warden Dios.
    "The means by which I identified a kaze in the, extraordinary session of the GCES is easily explained. Quite simply, I recognized him. That is to say, despite his GCES Security uniform, I recognized him as the infamous Captain Nathan Alt. You would have done so yourself, had you been there."
    Koina caught her breath at the name. The Chief growled a soft curse.
    Warden raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment.
    Hashi warmed to the pleasure of his own explanations.
    "Captain Alt's presence in the Council hall struck me as unexpected," he expounded. "And I admit that I was alert to all things unexpected. Director Hannish had relayed to me Captain Vertigus' fear of another attack. I considered his fears credible. That in large part motivated my presence at the extraordinary session.
    "Because Captain Alt's presence was unexpected, I moved to intercept him, hoping to obtain an explanation.
    When I drew near enough to see him more clearly, I had no difficulty identifying the danger he represented. First, his eyes and his manner indicated that he had been heavily drugged.
    Second, his credentials were not those of Nathan Alt, former UMCPED captain. They were those of one Clay Imposs, a GCES Security sergeant."
    With false ingratiation, Hashi added smoothly, "I'm sure Chief Mandich would have drawn the same conclusions I did
    —
    and taken the same actions—
    if chance had given him the
    same opportunity to recognize Captain Alt."
    Nathan Alt's name was well-known in UMCPHQ. However, his court-martial had taken place several years ago; before Koina's time. On the other hand, as a member of ED—
    with a personal investment in ED's reputation—
    Chief
    Mandich almost certainly remembered the former captain well enough to identify him.
    Hashi spread his hands disingenuously. "So much is simple.
    "All that remains to be said of the events themselves is that before Chief Mandich's stalwarts impelled the putative Clay Imposs from the hall, thereby saving almost any number of lives, I contrived to snatch the clearance badge from his uniform, as well as the id tag from his neck."
    Now at last Warden permitted himself a reaction which may have been surprise. His eye widened: he shook his head slightly.
    "So what?" Chief Mandich put in harshly. "That tag and badge aren't going to help us. I'm sure you're right about Nathan Alt. I'm sure his credentials are legit for Clay Imposs.
    Otherwise he wouldn't have been cleared. And I'm sure they were doctored somehow. Otherwise he wouldn't have gotten past a retinal scan. But even if you figure out how they were doctored, you won't be able to prove who did it. His id tag and badge will just confirm what we already know. Which is that whoever's behind this has access to all the right codes."
    "You took a terrible risk, Hashi," Koina breathed. "You could have been killed. What did you hope to gain?"
    Hashi ignored both her and