Free Judge by Karen Traviss Page B

head. “I have to hand it to you, Esganikan. We put our boots on Earth soil less than fifteen minutes ago, and you’ve already offered to kick off a world war and pissed over all the diplomatic channels. Not bad. Give us another hour, and we can start Armageddon.”
    â€œIf you believe you can improve matters, now you have the opportunity.” Esganikan could see Ade in her peripheral vision, hands clasped behind his back in much the same square pose as his isan. She felt she’d been exceptionally consultative, as Shan called it. She’d given the humans information; she’d asked them to provide information in return. She could have taken it. “We’ll still do what we have to do. If you think you can make that easier by liaising with Bari in a way that I appear unable to, then I suggest you do it.”
    â€œChrist, when I’m the diplomat on a mission, then I know we’re in trouble. And there’s no point leaning on Bari to get the FEU to do anything.” Shan frowned slightly. “And what do you mean, there were others ? What others?”
    It was what Ade called her copper’s voice. Esganikan recognized it every time now. She was interrogating her.
    I know there were others involved in bombing Ouzhari. I know, because I have Mohan Rayat’s memories. I know who gave him his orders.
    And now Esganikan had to practice that other gift from Rayat’s mind: the art of lying.
    It was getting easier.
    â€œThere are always others,” she said. “It would have been a major decision for humans, and in your society, you rarely take those decisions without committees. ”
    Shan gave her a long stare so devoid of emotion that it said everything. She didn’t trust Esganikan. Shan always said she trusted nobody, but that wasn’t entirely accurate; she certainly put great faith in her two males.
    â€œI thought you drew the line somewhere in your guilt league,” said Shan. “Are you going to go after the bloody committee clerks now?”
    â€œI must balance this crime.” A police officer like Shan would understand the need for justice, Esganikan thought. “There will be others, and if I have their names, and if they are alive, then I can make that decision.”
    â€œI’ll ask around,” Shan said sourly.
    She stalked off, Ade close on her heels. Aras wandered after them at a distance, shooting Esganikan a glance that said he didn’t approve of using his isan like that.
    Esganikan could feel the name somehow. That memory was in there too. She might recall it before Shan discovered it; after so many years, finding it was a tall order even for an accomplished detective like her.
    This was our prime reason for coming to Earth, to balance the crime against Ouzhari. It must be dealt with…if only to demonstrate that we mean what we say.
    And that was Rayat speaking for her, she knew.
    An understanding of the thoughts of the spy—Rayat—and the police officer—Shan—would help her deal with humans. As she let the mirage of a distant ruined town lull her into a meditative state, she could detect both of them in her mind somehow, and they felt… similar. Both obsessive; both so committed to their mission that anything was permissible in completing it.
    And yet they hate each other.
    Her hands itched inside her gloves. She peeled back the cuffs, wondering if some insect had found a point of entry, and thought she saw a flash of violet light. It took her a few moments to realize the light was really there, winking and rippling bioluminescence.
    Shan had those lights.
    It’s gathering pace.
    Ade Bennett had the bioluminescence too, but not Aras. Somehow, genes from the bezeri had latched on to Shan’s genome through c’naatat, and now they were within Esganikan, a visible sign of her actions that would betray her to Shan, and Shan would react badly.
    Am I going to end up looking like Aras? Nothing like