council. Dai petitioned for control of Luna Base to be transferred to the United Nations on the basis that three countries were already trying to govern it and more countries were trying to get involved. Putting it under the control of the UN only made sense.
Fortunately for Dai, the world economy had recently taken a serious downturn. The Luna Base was expensive to maintain, and money was short. It only took two years for Luna Base to be cut loose, on the condition that it pay back its parent countries. This, the parent countries thought, would ensure Luna Base would remain under their control, but without the attendant financial headaches.
That was when the scientists on Luna Base published their findings and filed their patents. A steady stream of money trickled in, enough to keep Luna Base going, but not enough to make the mortgage payments. Dai then revealed the next stage of her plan—establishing Luna University. Instead of accepting only a handful of scientists, Luna Base would now bring up hundreds, even thousands, of researchers and students— if they could pay. And people somehow scraped up the cash. Tuition and grant money poured in. Now, fifteen years later, Luna Base, renamed Luna City, was within five years of achieving full independence.
If it paid off its debts. An expanded tourist trade would bring in a great deal of tax and tariff money, making that five-year goal even more realistic.
"One of the big selling points of our negotiations," Mayor-President Pandey said, "is the low crime rate. But now we have one definite murder and one possible murder in two days. This is not good, Linus. Roger and I need those cases cleared and we need them cleared now."
Linus felt his temper rise. "I can clear them now or I can clear them right, ma'am," he said evenly.
"Do both," Pandey replied in a crisp voice. "I want twice-daily reports on your progress, is that clear?"
It was on the tip of Linus's tongue to snarl at her, but two things held him in check. The first was Marine discipline— you didn't snap at a superior—and the second was his own vulnerability. Like it or not, his job rested solely in the hands of Mayor-President Pandey. If she didn't like him, she could replace him anytime she liked. It wouldn't be difficult to find a dozen police brass from Earth who would jump at the chance to be Chief of Security for Luna City. And then where would Linus be? He started to rub his chest, then forced his hand back into his lap.
"We'll do our best, Madam Mayor-President," he said instead. "I'll send you my first report within the hour."
Mayor-President Ravi Pandey nodded and terminated the connection.
Linus phoned Noah for an update on the new case.
"I'm just finishing with the victim's interview," the kid said. "I've processed his body and I'm gathering his clothes now."
Linus duly dictated this into a report for the computer to transcribe and combined it with what he, Karen, and Noah had uncovered in the first investigation so far. His temper, hot in the cold room, remained in firm check. Pandey was the boss. If she wanted a report every ten minutes, it was her prerogative to demand one. But every moment he spent in this kind of stupidity was a moment spent away from the investigation.
He got up and paced around his office while he talked to the computer. The holographic mountain stream trickled along its icy shore, wending its way among rocks and melting snow.
"... Fang is still working on fixing a time of death. We're hoping the victim's onboard will provide us with
Blah blah blah. A sudden longing filled Linus, and he tapped the window twice as he talked. The scene wavered, shifted, and morphed into a small white house set amid a dozen others almost just like it. The image was taken from a high angle, as if the camera were at the top of a building. A young maple tree stood guard in the center of the front yard, and clumps of tired-looking winter snow clung stubbornly to shady areas. A late morning
Fortunately for Dai, the world economy had recently taken a serious downturn. The Luna Base was expensive to maintain, and money was short. It only took two years for Luna Base to be cut loose, on the condition that it pay back its parent countries. This, the parent countries thought, would ensure Luna Base would remain under their control, but without the attendant financial headaches.
That was when the scientists on Luna Base published their findings and filed their patents. A steady stream of money trickled in, enough to keep Luna Base going, but not enough to make the mortgage payments. Dai then revealed the next stage of her plan—establishing Luna University. Instead of accepting only a handful of scientists, Luna Base would now bring up hundreds, even thousands, of researchers and students— if they could pay. And people somehow scraped up the cash. Tuition and grant money poured in. Now, fifteen years later, Luna Base, renamed Luna City, was within five years of achieving full independence.
If it paid off its debts. An expanded tourist trade would bring in a great deal of tax and tariff money, making that five-year goal even more realistic.
"One of the big selling points of our negotiations," Mayor-President Pandey said, "is the low crime rate. But now we have one definite murder and one possible murder in two days. This is not good, Linus. Roger and I need those cases cleared and we need them cleared now."
Linus felt his temper rise. "I can clear them now or I can clear them right, ma'am," he said evenly.
"Do both," Pandey replied in a crisp voice. "I want twice-daily reports on your progress, is that clear?"
It was on the tip of Linus's tongue to snarl at her, but two things held him in check. The first was Marine discipline— you didn't snap at a superior—and the second was his own vulnerability. Like it or not, his job rested solely in the hands of Mayor-President Pandey. If she didn't like him, she could replace him anytime she liked. It wouldn't be difficult to find a dozen police brass from Earth who would jump at the chance to be Chief of Security for Luna City. And then where would Linus be? He started to rub his chest, then forced his hand back into his lap.
"We'll do our best, Madam Mayor-President," he said instead. "I'll send you my first report within the hour."
Mayor-President Ravi Pandey nodded and terminated the connection.
Linus phoned Noah for an update on the new case.
"I'm just finishing with the victim's interview," the kid said. "I've processed his body and I'm gathering his clothes now."
Linus duly dictated this into a report for the computer to transcribe and combined it with what he, Karen, and Noah had uncovered in the first investigation so far. His temper, hot in the cold room, remained in firm check. Pandey was the boss. If she wanted a report every ten minutes, it was her prerogative to demand one. But every moment he spent in this kind of stupidity was a moment spent away from the investigation.
He got up and paced around his office while he talked to the computer. The holographic mountain stream trickled along its icy shore, wending its way among rocks and melting snow.
"... Fang is still working on fixing a time of death. We're hoping the victim's onboard will provide us with
Blah blah blah. A sudden longing filled Linus, and he tapped the window twice as he talked. The scene wavered, shifted, and morphed into a small white house set amid a dozen others almost just like it. The image was taken from a high angle, as if the camera were at the top of a building. A young maple tree stood guard in the center of the front yard, and clumps of tired-looking winter snow clung stubbornly to shady areas. A late morning
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