{"data":{"id":13286,"title":"A SEPARATE LAW: PART TWELVE","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/comm-link\/serialized-fiction\/13286-A-SEPARATE-LAW-PART-TWELVE","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-links\/13286","api_public_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/comm-links\/13286","channel":"Undefined","category":"Undefined","series":"A Separate Law","images":[{"id":640,"name":"SeparateLawFI4.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/media\/n6ik8s2agc03ur\/source\/SeparateLawFI4.jpg","alt":"","size":1558749,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2013-07-18T19:23:20+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/640","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/640\/similar"}],"images_count":1,"translations":{"en_EN":"\u201cGuilty.\u201d\n\nStroller moaned a denial.\n\n\u201cGuilty.\u201d\n\n\u201cGuilty,\u201d the most senior judge of the Closed Tribunal Council announced her verdict with relish.\n\nAlways good to see someone enjoy their work, Gates thought. He was sitting alone in the darkened upper gallery of the tribunal court. Officially, he wasn\u2019t even here. On suspension, he had no right to be present for matters presented here.\n\nNone of which had prevented him listening as Seabrook and a team of forensic data miners testified to Stroller\u2019s crimes. Even before Seabrook had finished, Gates knew the judges would have no choice but to come to the proper conclusion.\n\nStroller started keening as the first judge passed sentence, \u201cGilles Conrad Stroller, in light of your conviction for treason and betrayal of the trust placed in you by the Navy, Citizens and state of the UEE, I sentence you to death by exposure to vacuum.\u201d\n\nStroller was screaming denials as the second judge repeated the formula: \u201cGilles Conrad Stroller, in light of your conviction for treason and betrayal of the trust placed in you by the Navy, Citizens and state of the UEE, I sentence you to death by exposure to vacuum.\u201d\n\nThe senior judge gestured at one of her clerks, who shut down the feed from Stroller\u2019s cell. The convicted\u2019s screaming cut off mid-squeal. The judge spoke for the record: \u201cI concur with the sentence of my fellow judges, sentence to be carried out immediately.\u201d\n\nStrong emotions welled, mixed in him. Gates wasn\u2019t all that clear on what he was feeling: satisfaction seemed too strong a word, as did vindication. He was, for lack of a better descriptor, at peace.\n\nGetting up to leave, he saw Seabrook looking up at him from the lower gallery. Unsure what she wanted, Gates returned her gaze.\n\nAfter a moment, Seabrook punched her chin in the direction of the exit.\n\nHe nodded, set out to meet her downstairs. His still-healing legs slowed him down, making it hard to walk, let alone hurry. The medboys said he\u2019d done too much nerve damage too soon after his last stint in medbay. So much damage they considered it unlikely he\u2019d ever regain full function. They had managed to replace the fingers he\u2019d lost, though.\n\nThe other, though \u2014 the fear when I see a flight suit \u2014 don\u2019t know if I\u2019ll ever be able to put one on again, he thought, limping up to Seabrook.\n\nHe clicked heels, nodded to her. \u201cWell done, Agent Seabrook.\u201d\n\n\u201cWouldn\u2019t have happened without you, Gates.\u201d She looked at his face, marked the spider web of fresh scars that would be with him for the foreseeable future. \u201cHeard you had a rough go of it.\u201d\n\nHe shrugged, gestured at the scars. \u201cJust a little damage the medboys couldn\u2019t clear up.\u201d And because she deserved to know the full truth of it, he tapped his temple, \u201cAside from the psych pukes diddling around in here, I\u2019ve been told I\u2019m as well as I\u2019ll get until my body decides to respond at the cellular level to further regenerative therapies.\u201d\n\nShe didn\u2019t \u2014 quite \u2014 manage to hide her wince. \u201cBut you did what you set out to.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes. I\u2019m told that as soon as word arrived that the White Stag had been lost, the criminal organizations of no less than seven systems had sudden, violent changes in leadership or simply broke into smaller groups. We weren\u2019t even aware Les Inconnus were in charge in a couple of the systems.\u201d\n\nShe nodded, \u201cI heard. What about IID? I heard Oda was dancing for joy when IID came to her with their investigation.\u201d\n\nGates grinned. He\u2019d seen the expression in the mirror, and knew that his scars assured the result was both lacking in humor and unnerving to the faint of heart. \u201cTaken care of.\u201d\n\nHer brows shot up, \u201cWhat, how?\u201d\n\nHe waved a hand, \u201cI have friends in low places and dark, mysterious powers of my own.\u201d\n\nShe snorted.\n\n\u201cJust because I like to work the field doesn\u2019t mean I\u2019m a stranger to the techniques necessary to get ahead in office politics. Likewise: just because I don\u2019t use my powers of darkness to gain position doesn\u2019t mean I can\u2019t use them for important things.\u201d\n\n\u201cFull reinstatement?\u201d\n\nHe gestured at his legs, \u201cNot yet, but once I\u2019m in shape to work, I\u2019ll be at it again. Assuming Vasser will have me, of course.\u201d\n\n\u201cShe told me to talk to you.\u201d\n\n\u201cOh?\u201d he asked, a bit stung.\n\nShe smiled, reading his reaction well, \u201cNot that I wouldn\u2019t have talked to you on my own, she just wanted me to tell you these exact words \u2026\u201d her brow furrowed as she recited: \u201cProblem solved, but is the solution now a problem?\u201d She looked at him. \u201cDo you know what she meant?\u201d\n\nGates nodded, chuckling.\n\n\u201cCare to share?\u201d\n\n\u201cShe wants to know if I\u2019m ready to come back, and, when I do come back, will I be hunting the IID pukes that shut us down or ready to toe the line.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd?\u201d\n\n\u201cThose friends, the ones in low places?\u201d\n\nShe nodded, \u201cYes?\u201d\n\n\u201cThey\u2019ve found a nice, out of the way hole to stuff Agent Neustedt into. I\u2019m told they run supplies in once a year, whether the inmates want it or not.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut why would Vasser be worried you were after them if \u2014\u201d\n\n\u201cOh, he\u2019s not finished answering to the Senate Subcommittee on Advocacy Affairs, so Vasser doesn\u2019t know what\u2019s about to go down, but I have it on solid authority that he will be surprised at the results of the session, right up to when they clap him in restraints.\u201d\n\nThat startled a laugh from her, \u201cNo, you didn\u2019t!\u201d\n\n\u201cOh yes. Yes, I did.\u201d\n\n\u201cRemind me never to tick you off.\u201d\n\n\u201cI will be sure to do so. What about you?\u201d\n\nShe sobered. \u201cI\u2019m still assigned to the Black Box, but there\u2019s been some rumor about a transfer to HQ, Cybercrimes Division.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd what do you make of this talk?\u201d\n\nShe shrugged, \u201cI don\u2019t know. Not all that sure I have the sand for Special Action anymore.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou heard me. I\u2019m not so sure I want to do our kind of work anymore. Hell, I\u2019m not so sure I should have been doing it in the first place.\u201d\n\nGates shook his head, \u201cNow why would you say that?\u201d\n\n\u201cI can\u2019t do what you do.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo one\u2019s asking you to. Look, you\u2019re exactly the kind of agent the Advocacy needs in Special Action.\u201d\n\nShe opened her mouth to deny him, but he kept on going, \u201cAnd I mean it. When I started talking about going off and doing what had to be done, you checked me, forced me to think it through. And when I declared it was the right thing, you got out of the way, even backed me because I was a fellow agent going into harm\u2019s way. To my mind, you showed all the qualities Vasser and Special Action need. And that\u2019s before giving you credit for keeping your head when we were trying to spring Morgan and everything went sideways. No, I think you are just what Special Action needs, Seabrook.\u201d\n\nSeabrook looked half-convinced. \u201cBut I couldn\u2019t operate under that, what did you call it? \u201cSeparate Law.\u201d I just can\u2019t.\u201d\n\n\u201cNot for nothing, but do you think there might be a reason I\u2019ve been around as long as I have?\u201d\n\nShe laughed again, \u201cBecause you refuse to stop?\u201d\n\n\u201cSeriously, though, can you hazard a guess?\u201d\n\nShe shrugged.\n\n\u201cBecause there are very few people who can do what I do. That can go out into the deep black and do the \u2026 things I do, then come back. Most people can\u2019t \u2014\u201d he held his hands out, struggling to find the words, \u201c\u2014 can\u2019t get the stink off them enough to operate well under normal rules once they\u2019ve gone off into the deep black. They go rogue, start wearing guts for garters, think they can make more money as hit men, that sort of crazy nonsense.\u201d He looked Seabrook in the eye, \u201cAs many times as I\u2019ve been made to step into the black, I\u2019ve always come back.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhy?\u201d\n\nA deep sadness yawned wide in him. \u201cToo stupid to live, too old to change, I suppose.\u201d\n\nShe reached out, touched his arm, \u201cThat\u2019s not an honest answer, not really.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, it isn\u2019t. Here\u2019s a truth, though: when there\u2019s someone who checks me at the airlock into the deep black, someone who asks whether what I\u2019m about to do is right, it makes it a bit easier to find my way back. Someone like you, Agent Seabrook.\u201d\n\nShe sniffed. Gates was pretty sure he saw the glitter of a tear before she looked away.\n\u201cJesus, Gates, do you listen to yourself sometimes?\u201d\n\n\u201cI try not to. That way lies madness.\u201d\n\nTHE END\n\nABOUT THE AUTHOR:\nGriffin Barber is a veteran police officer with a major police department. In his spare time, he tells fictional tales about far-away places and people he\u2019ll never meet (mostly because they don\u2019t exist). He\u2019s had several short stories published in the 1632 Universe\u2019s Grantville Gazette. His blog, The Ranting Griffin, is a good way to peek inside his skull, if you\u2019re interested in such horrors.","de_DE":"\"Schuldig.\"\n\nDer Kinderwagen st\u00f6hnte eine Verleugnung.\n\n\"Schuldig.\"\n\n\"Schuldig\", k\u00fcndigte die oberste Richterin des Closed Tribunal Council ihr Urteil lustvoll an.\n\nImmer gut zu sehen, wie jemand seine Arbeit genie\u00dft, dachte Gates. Er sa\u00df allein auf der abgedunkelten oberen Galerie des Tribunalgerichts. Offiziell war er nicht einmal hier. Auf Bew\u00e4hrung hatte er kein Recht, bei den hier vorgestellten Angelegenheiten anwesend zu sein.\n\nNichts davon hatte ihn daran gehindert, zuzuh\u00f6ren, als Seabrook und ein Team von forensischen Data Minern \u00fcber die Verbrechen von Kinderwagen aussagten. Noch bevor Seabrook fertig war, wusste Gates, dass die Richter keine andere Wahl haben w\u00fcrden, als zum richtigen Schluss zu kommen.\n\nDer Kinderwagen fing an zu sch\u00e4rfen, als der erste Richter das Urteil verk\u00fcndete: \"Gilles Conrad Kinderwagen, angesichts Ihrer Verurteilung wegen Verrats und Verrats an dem Vertrauen, das Ihnen die Marine, die B\u00fcrger und der Staat der UEE entgegengebracht haben, verurteile ich Sie zum Tode durch Vakuumeinwirkung.\"\n\nStroller schrie Ablehnungen, w\u00e4hrend der zweite Richter die Formel wiederholte: \"Gilles Conrad Kinderwagen, im Hinblick auf Ihre Verurteilung wegen Verrats und Verrats an dem Vertrauen, das Ihnen von der Marine, den B\u00fcrgern und dem Staat der UEE entgegengebracht wird, verurteile ich Sie zum Tode durch Vakuumeinwirkung.\"\n\nDer Oberrichter deutete auf einen ihrer Angestellten hin, der die Zuf\u00fchrung aus der Zelle des Kinderwagens abschaltete. Der Verurteilte ist schreiend, er hat mitten im Geschrei abgeschnitten. Der Richter sprach f\u00fcr das Protokoll: \"Ich stimme dem Urteil meiner Richterkollegen zu, das sofort vollstreckt werden muss.\"\n\nStarke Emotionen str\u00f6mten, vermischt in ihm. Gates war sich nicht ganz so klar, was er f\u00fchlte: Zufriedenheit schien ein zu starkes Wort zu sein, ebenso wie Rechtfertigung. Er war, mangels eines besseren Deskriptors, in Frieden.\n\nAls er aufstand, um zu gehen, sah er Seabrook, wie er ihn von der unteren Galerie aus ansah. Unsicher, was sie wollte, erwiderte Gates ihren Blick.\n\nNach einem Moment schlug Seabrook ihr Kinn in Richtung Ausgang.\n\nEr nickte, machte sich auf den Weg, um sie unten zu treffen. Seine noch heilenden Beine verlangsamten ihn und machten es schwer zu laufen, geschweige denn sich zu beeilen. Die Medboys sagten, dass er zu fr\u00fch nach seinem letzten Einsatz in Medbay zu viel Nervenschaden angerichtet hatte. So viel Schaden, dass sie es f\u00fcr unwahrscheinlich hielten, dass er jemals die volle Funktion wiedererlangen w\u00fcrde. Sie hatten es jedoch geschafft, die Finger, die er verloren hatte, zu ersetzen.\n\nDer andere jedoch - die Angst, wenn ich einen Fluganzug sehe - wei\u00df nicht, ob ich jemals wieder einen anziehen kann, dachte er und humpelte nach Seabrook.\n\nEr klickte auf die Abs\u00e4tze, nickte ihr zu. \"Gut gemacht, Agent Seabrook.\"\n\n\"W\u00e4re ohne dich nicht passiert, Gates.\" Sie sah sein Gesicht an, markierte das Spinnennetz mit frischen Narben, die ihn auf absehbare Zeit begleiten w\u00fcrden. \"Ich h\u00f6rte, du hattest es schwer.\"\n\nEr zuckte mit den Achseln, gestikulierte an den Narben. \"Nur ein kleiner Schaden, den die Sanit\u00e4ter nicht beseitigen konnten.\" Und weil sie es verdient hatte, die ganze Wahrheit dar\u00fcber zu erfahren, klopfte er an seinen Tempel: \"Abgesehen von den psychischen Kotzen, die hier herumschwirrten, wurde mir gesagt, dass es mir gut geht und ich es auch bekommen werde, bis mein K\u00f6rper beschlie\u00dft, auf zellul\u00e4rer Ebene auf weitere regenerative Therapien zu reagieren.\"\n\nSie hat es nicht - ganz - geschafft, ihre Miene zu verbergen. \"Aber du hast getan, was du dir vorgenommen hast.\"\n\n\"Ja, mir wurde gesagt, dass, sobald die Nachricht kam, dass der Wei\u00dfe Hirsch verloren gegangen war, die kriminellen Organisationen von nicht weniger als sieben Systemen pl\u00f6tzliche, gewaltt\u00e4tige F\u00fchrungswechsel hatten oder einfach in kleinere Gruppen einbrachen. Wir wussten nicht einmal, dass Les Inconnus f\u00fcr ein paar der Systeme verantwortlich ist.\"\n\nSie nickte, \"Ich h\u00f6rte. Was ist mit IID? Ich h\u00f6rte, dass Oda vor Freude tanzte, als IID mit ihrer Untersuchung zu ihr kam.\"\n\nGates grinste. Er hatte den Ausdruck im Spiegel gesehen und wusste, dass seine Narben sicherstellten, dass das Ergebnis sowohl humorlos als auch nervt\u00f6tend f\u00fcr das schwache Herz war. \"Ich habe mich darum gek\u00fcmmert.\"\n\nIhre Augenbrauen schossen hoch, \"Was, wie?\"\n\nEr winkte mit der Hand: \"Ich habe Freunde an niedrigen Orten und dunkle, geheimnisvolle Kr\u00e4fte.\"\n\nSie schnaubte.\n\n\"Nur weil ich gerne auf dem Feld arbeite, bedeutet das nicht, dass ich die Techniken kenne, die notwendig sind, um in der B\u00fcropolitik voranzukommen. Ebenso: Nur weil ich meine Kr\u00e4fte der Dunkelheit nicht nutze, um Position zu erlangen, bedeutet das nicht, dass ich sie nicht f\u00fcr wichtige Dinge nutzen kann.\"\n\n\"Volle Wiedereinsetzung?\"\n\nEr gestikulierte an seinen Beinen: \"Noch nicht, aber wenn ich in Form bin, um zu arbeiten, werde ich wieder dabei sein. Angenommen, Vasser will mich haben, nat\u00fcrlich.\"\n\n\"Sie sagte mir, ich solle mit dir reden.\"\n\n\"Oh?\" fragte er, ein wenig gestochen.\n\nSie l\u00e4chelte und las seine Reaktion gut: \"Nicht, dass ich nicht alleine mit dir gesprochen h\u00e4tte, sie wollte nur, dass ich dir genau diese Worte sage....\", ihre Stirn zerfurcht, w\u00e4hrend sie rezitierte: \"Problem gel\u00f6st, aber ist die L\u00f6sung jetzt ein Problem?\" Sie sah ihn an. \"Wei\u00dft du, was sie meinte?\"\n\nGates nickte und kicherte.\n\n\"Willst du teilen?\"\n\n\"Sie will wissen, ob ich bereit bin, zur\u00fcckzukommen, und wenn ich zur\u00fcckkomme, werde ich die IID-Kotze jagen, die uns zum Schweigen bringen oder bereit sind, die Grenze zu \u00fcberschreiten.\"\n\n\" Und?\"\n\n\"Diese Freunde, die an niedrigen Orten?\"\n\nSie nickte, \"Ja?\"\n\n\"Sie haben ein sch\u00f6nes, abgelegenes Loch gefunden, in das Agent Neustedt hineinstopfen kann. Mir wurde gesagt, dass sie einmal im Jahr Vorr\u00e4te besorgen, ob die H\u00e4ftlinge es wollen oder nicht.\"\n\n\"Aber warum sollte Vasser besorgt sein, dass du hinter ihnen her bist, wenn -\"\n\n\"Oh, er ist noch nicht fertig damit, dem Senatsausschuss f\u00fcr Anwaltsangelegenheiten zu antworten, also wei\u00df Vasser nicht, was passieren wird, aber ich habe es aus solider Quelle, dass er \u00fcber die Ergebnisse der Sitzung \u00fcberrascht sein wird, bis hin zu dem Moment, in dem sie ihn in Fesseln schlagen.\"\n\nDas erschreckte sie zum Lachen: \"Nein, hast du nicht!\"\n\n\"Oh ja. Ja, das habe ich.\"\n\n\"Erinnere mich daran, dich nie zu verarschen.\"\n\n\"Ich werde das mit Sicherheit tun. Was ist mit dir?\"\n\nSie war n\u00fcchtern. \"Ich bin immer noch der Black Box zugeordnet, aber es gibt Ger\u00fcchte \u00fcber eine Versetzung ins Hauptquartier, Cybercrimes Division.\"\n\n\"Und was h\u00e4ltst du von diesem Gerede?\"\n\nSie zuckte mit den Achseln, \"Ich wei\u00df nicht. Ich bin mir nicht sicher, ob ich den Sand f\u00fcr Special Action noch habe.\"\n\n\" Was?\"\n\n\"Du hast mich geh\u00f6rt. Ich bin mir nicht sicher, ob ich unsere Art von Arbeit noch machen will. Zum Teufel, ich bin mir nicht so sicher, ob ich es \u00fcberhaupt h\u00e4tte tun sollen.\"\n\nGates sch\u00fcttelte den Kopf, \"Warum sagst du das?\"\n\n\"Ich kann nicht tun, was du tust.\"\n\n\"Niemand bittet dich darum. Schau, du bist genau die Art von Agent, die die Anwaltschaft in Special Action braucht.\"\n\nSie \u00f6ffnete ihren Mund, um ihn zu verleugnen, aber er machte weiter: \"Und ich meine es ernst. Als ich anfing, dar\u00fcber zu reden, loszugehen und zu tun, was getan werden musste, hast du mich \u00fcberpr\u00fcft und mich gezwungen, es zu \u00fcberdenken. Und als ich erkl\u00e4rte, dass es das Richtige sei, gingen Sie aus dem Weg, unterst\u00fctzten mich sogar, weil ich ein Kollege war, der in Gefahr war. Meiner Meinung nach hast du alle Qualit\u00e4ten gezeigt, die Vasser und Special Action brauchen. Und das ist, bevor wir dir die Anerkennung daf\u00fcr geben, dass du deinen Kopf behalten hast, als wir versuchten, Morgan zu befreien, und alles ging schief. Nein, ich denke, du bist genau das, was Special Action braucht, Seabrook.\"\n\nSeabrook sah halb \u00fcberzeugt aus. \"Aber ich konnte nicht darunter operieren, wie hast du es genannt? \"Separates Gesetz.\" Ich kann einfach nicht.\"\n\n\"Nicht umsonst, aber glaubst du, es gibt einen Grund, warum ich so lange hier bin wie ich?\"\n\nSie lachte wieder: \"Weil du dich weigerst, aufzuh\u00f6ren?\"\n\n\"Im Ernst, aber kannst du eine Vermutung anstellen?\"\n\nSie zuckte mit den Schultern.\n\n\"Weil es nur sehr wenige Menschen gibt, die das tun k\u00f6nnen, was ich tue. Das kann in das tiefe Schwarz hinausgehen und die Dinge tun, die ich tue, und dann zur\u00fcckkommen. Die meisten Menschen k\u00f6nnen es nicht -\" hielt er die H\u00e4nde hoch und k\u00e4mpfte darum, die Worte zu finden, \"- k\u00f6nnen den Gestank nicht genug von ihnen wegbekommen, um nach normalen Regeln gut zu funktionieren, wenn sie in das tiefe Schwarz gegangen sind. Sie werden abtr\u00fcnnig, tragen Mumm f\u00fcr Strumpfb\u00e4nder, denken, dass sie als Auftragskiller mehr Geld verdienen k\u00f6nnen, diese Art von verr\u00fccktem Unsinn.\" Er sah Seabrook in die Augen: \"So oft ich gezwungen wurde, ins Schwarze zu treten, bin ich immer wieder gekommen.\"\n\n\" Warum?\"\n\nEine tiefe Traurigkeit g\u00e4hnte weit in ihm. \"Zu dumm zum Leben, zu alt zum \u00c4ndern, nehme ich an.\"\n\nSie streckte die Hand aus, ber\u00fchrte seinen Arm, \"Das ist keine ehrliche Antwort, nicht wirklich.\"\n\n\"Nein, ist es nicht. Aber hier ist die Wahrheit: Wenn es jemanden gibt, der mich an der Luftschleuse in die tiefschwarze Luft schaut, jemand, der fragt, ob das, was ich tun werde, richtig ist, macht es mir etwas leichter, den Weg zur\u00fcckzufinden. Jemanden wie Sie, Agent Seabrook.\"\n\nSie schn\u00fcffelte. Gates war sich ziemlich sicher, dass er den Glanz einer Tr\u00e4ne sah, bevor sie wegblickte.\n\"Jesus, Gates, h\u00f6rst du dir manchmal selbst zu?\"\n\n\"Ich versuche, es nicht zu tun. Das ist Wahnsinn.\"\n\nDAS ENDE\n\n\u00dcBER DEN AUTOR:\nGriffin Barber ist ein erfahrener Polizeibeamter mit einer gro\u00dfen Polizeiabteilung. In seiner Freizeit erz\u00e4hlt er fiktive Geschichten \u00fcber ferne Orte und Menschen, die er nie treffen wird (meist weil sie nicht existieren). Er hat mehrere Kurzgeschichten in der Grantville Gazette des Universums von 1632 ver\u00f6ffentlicht. Sein Blog, The Ranting Griffin, ist eine gute M\u00f6glichkeit, in seinen Sch\u00e4del zu schauen, wenn man an solchen Schrecken interessiert ist.","zh_CN":"\u201cGuilty.\u201d\n\nStroller moaned a denial.\n\n\u201cGuilty.\u201d\n\n\u201cGuilty,\u201d the most senior judge of the Closed Tribunal Council announced her verdict with relish.\n\nAlways good to see someone enjoy their work, Gates thought. He was sitting alone in the darkened upper gallery of the tribunal court. Officially, he wasn\u2019t even here. On suspension, he had no right to be present for matters presented here.\n\nNone of which had prevented him listening as Seabrook and a team of forensic data miners testified to Stroller\u2019s crimes. Even before Seabrook had finished, Gates knew the judges would have no choice but to come to the proper conclusion.\n\nStroller started keening as the first judge passed sentence, \u201cGilles Conrad Stroller, in light of your conviction for treason and betrayal of the trust placed in you by the Navy, Citizens and state of the UEE, I sentence you to death by exposure to vacuum.\u201d\n\nStroller was screaming denials as the second judge repeated the formula: \u201cGilles Conrad Stroller, in light of your conviction for treason and betrayal of the trust placed in you by the Navy, Citizens and state of the UEE, I sentence you to death by exposure to vacuum.\u201d\n\nThe senior judge gestured at one of her clerks, who shut down the feed from Stroller\u2019s cell. The convicted\u2019s screaming cut off mid-squeal. The judge spoke for the record: \u201cI concur with the sentence of my fellow judges, sentence to be carried out immediately.\u201d\n\nStrong emotions welled, mixed in him. Gates wasn\u2019t all that clear on what he was feeling: satisfaction seemed too strong a word, as did vindication. He was, for lack of a better descriptor, at peace.\n\nGetting up to leave, he saw Seabrook looking up at him from the lower gallery. Unsure what she wanted, Gates returned her gaze.\n\nAfter a moment, Seabrook punched her chin in the direction of the exit.\n\nHe nodded, set out to meet her downstairs. His still-healing legs slowed him down, making it hard to walk, let alone hurry. The medboys said he\u2019d done too much nerve damage too soon after his last stint in medbay. So much damage they considered it unlikely he\u2019d ever regain full function. They had managed to replace the fingers he\u2019d lost, though.\n\nThe other, though \u2014 the fear when I see a flight suit \u2014 don\u2019t know if I\u2019ll ever be able to put one on again, he thought, limping up to Seabrook.\n\nHe clicked heels, nodded to her. \u201cWell done, Agent Seabrook.\u201d\n\n\u201cWouldn\u2019t have happened without you, Gates.\u201d She looked at his face, marked the spider web of fresh scars that would be with him for the foreseeable future. \u201cHeard you had a rough go of it.\u201d\n\nHe shrugged, gestured at the scars. \u201cJust a little damage the medboys couldn\u2019t clear up.\u201d And because she deserved to know the full truth of it, he tapped his temple, \u201cAside from the psych pukes diddling around in here, I\u2019ve been told I\u2019m as well as I\u2019ll get until my body decides to respond at the cellular level to further regenerative therapies.\u201d\n\nShe didn\u2019t \u2014 quite \u2014 manage to hide her wince. \u201cBut you did what you set out to.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes. I\u2019m told that as soon as word arrived that the White Stag had been lost, the criminal organizations of no less than seven systems had sudden, violent changes in leadership or simply broke into smaller groups. We weren\u2019t even aware Les Inconnus were in charge in a couple of the systems.\u201d\n\nShe nodded, \u201cI heard. What about IID? I heard Oda was dancing for joy when IID came to her with their investigation.\u201d\n\nGates grinned. He\u2019d seen the expression in the mirror, and knew that his scars assured the result was both lacking in humor and unnerving to the faint of heart. \u201cTaken care of.\u201d\n\nHer brows shot up, \u201cWhat, how?\u201d\n\nHe waved a hand, \u201cI have friends in low places and dark, mysterious powers of my own.\u201d\n\nShe snorted.\n\n\u201cJust because I like to work the field doesn\u2019t mean I\u2019m a stranger to the techniques necessary to get ahead in office politics. Likewise: just because I don\u2019t use my powers of darkness to gain position doesn\u2019t mean I can\u2019t use them for important things.\u201d\n\n\u201cFull reinstatement?\u201d\n\nHe gestured at his legs, \u201cNot yet, but once I\u2019m in shape to work, I\u2019ll be at it again. Assuming Vasser will have me, of course.\u201d\n\n\u201cShe told me to talk to you.\u201d\n\n\u201cOh?\u201d he asked, a bit stung.\n\nShe smiled, reading his reaction well, \u201cNot that I wouldn\u2019t have talked to you on my own, she just wanted me to tell you these exact words \u2026\u201d her brow furrowed as she recited: \u201cProblem solved, but is the solution now a problem?\u201d She looked at him. \u201cDo you know what she meant?\u201d\n\nGates nodded, chuckling.\n\n\u201cCare to share?\u201d\n\n\u201cShe wants to know if I\u2019m ready to come back, and, when I do come back, will I be hunting the IID pukes that shut us down or ready to toe the line.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd?\u201d\n\n\u201cThose friends, the ones in low places?\u201d\n\nShe nodded, \u201cYes?\u201d\n\n\u201cThey\u2019ve found a nice, out of the way hole to stuff Agent Neustedt into. I\u2019m told they run supplies in once a year, whether the inmates want it or not.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut why would Vasser be worried you were after them if \u2014\u201d\n\n\u201cOh, he\u2019s not finished answering to the Senate Subcommittee on Advocacy Affairs, so Vasser doesn\u2019t know what\u2019s about to go down, but I have it on solid authority that he will be surprised at the results of the session, right up to when they clap him in restraints.\u201d\n\nThat startled a laugh from her, \u201cNo, you didn\u2019t!\u201d\n\n\u201cOh yes. Yes, I did.\u201d\n\n\u201cRemind me never to tick you off.\u201d\n\n\u201cI will be sure to do so. What about you?\u201d\n\nShe sobered. \u201cI\u2019m still assigned to the Black Box, but there\u2019s been some rumor about a transfer to HQ, Cybercrimes Division.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd what do you make of this talk?\u201d\n\nShe shrugged, \u201cI don\u2019t know. Not all that sure I have the sand for Special Action anymore.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou heard me. I\u2019m not so sure I want to do our kind of work anymore. Hell, I\u2019m not so sure I should have been doing it in the first place.\u201d\n\nGates shook his head, \u201cNow why would you say that?\u201d\n\n\u201cI can\u2019t do what you do.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo one\u2019s asking you to. Look, you\u2019re exactly the kind of agent the Advocacy needs in Special Action.\u201d\n\nShe opened her mouth to deny him, but he kept on going, \u201cAnd I mean it. When I started talking about going off and doing what had to be done, you checked me, forced me to think it through. And when I declared it was the right thing, you got out of the way, even backed me because I was a fellow agent going into harm\u2019s way. To my mind, you showed all the qualities Vasser and Special Action need. And that\u2019s before giving you credit for keeping your head when we were trying to spring Morgan and everything went sideways. No, I think you are just what Special Action needs, Seabrook.\u201d\n\nSeabrook looked half-convinced. \u201cBut I couldn\u2019t operate under that, what did you call it? \u201cSeparate Law.\u201d I just can\u2019t.\u201d\n\n\u201cNot for nothing, but do you think there might be a reason I\u2019ve been around as long as I have?\u201d\n\nShe laughed again, \u201cBecause you refuse to stop?\u201d\n\n\u201cSeriously, though, can you hazard a guess?\u201d\n\nShe shrugged.\n\n\u201cBecause there are very few people who can do what I do. That can go out into the deep black and do the \u2026 things I do, then come back. Most people can\u2019t \u2014\u201d he held his hands out, struggling to find the words, \u201c\u2014 can\u2019t get the stink off them enough to operate well under normal rules once they\u2019ve gone off into the deep black. They go rogue, start wearing guts for garters, think they can make more money as hit men, that sort of crazy nonsense.\u201d He looked Seabrook in the eye, \u201cAs many times as I\u2019ve been made to step into the black, I\u2019ve always come back.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhy?\u201d\n\nA deep sadness yawned wide in him. \u201cToo stupid to live, too old to change, I suppose.\u201d\n\nShe reached out, touched his arm, \u201cThat\u2019s not an honest answer, not really.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, it isn\u2019t. Here\u2019s a truth, though: when there\u2019s someone who checks me at the airlock into the deep black, someone who asks whether what I\u2019m about to do is right, it makes it a bit easier to find my way back. Someone like you, Agent Seabrook.\u201d\n\nShe sniffed. Gates was pretty sure he saw the glitter of a tear before she looked away.\n\u201cJesus, Gates, do you listen to yourself sometimes?\u201d\n\n\u201cI try not to. That way lies madness.\u201d\n\nTHE END\n\nABOUT THE AUTHOR:\nGriffin Barber is a veteran police officer with a major police department. In his spare time, he tells fictional tales about far-away places and people he\u2019ll never meet (mostly because they don\u2019t exist). He\u2019s had several short stories published in the 1632 Universe\u2019s Grantville Gazette. His blog, The Ranting Griffin, is a good way to peek inside his skull, if you\u2019re interested in such horrors."},"links_count":0,"comment_count":92,"created_at":"2013-09-27T00:00:00+00:00","created_at_human":"12 years ago"},"meta":{"processed_at":"2026-05-13 19:56:21","valid_relations":["images","links"],"prev_id":13284,"next_id":13287}}