E C Tubb, page 11
“But the man is dead?”
“Yes. “
“I see. “ Gregson stood for a moment, his face bleak with’ thought. “You were a fool, West, “ he said dispassionately, “but maybe we can manage to settle this. Did the girl actually see you eliminate the man?”
“Of course not. “
“Good. “ Gregson turned towards the door as Merrill, accompanied by a woman, entered the inner office. “My officer informs me that you wish to make an accusation, “ he rapped. “Is that correct?”
“It is. “ Susan stared with tear-swollen eyes directly towards Jay. “There he is. That is the man who killed my father. “ She pointed towards him and Jay could almost feel her radiated scorn and hatred. “I accuse that man of murder and demand the full punishment as laid down in the Ship’s Code!”
The full punishment was agonizing death.
CHAPTER TWELVE
FOR A LONG MOMENT no one moved or spoke. Finally, as Susan let her arm fall to her side and bowed her head, Gregson stepped behind his desk arid sat down.
“Let us have some self-control here, “ he said coldly. “Merrill, if the girl can’t stop crying take her out until she can. This office is not the place for tears. “
The very harshness of his voice produced the desired result. Susan dabbed at her eyes, lifted her head, and allowed Merrill to seat her in a chair. Gregson gestured for Jay to seat himself and looked at Merrill.
“Report. “
“I was notified of a power drop by electronics and went to the cubicle at fault. On arrival I was accosted by this young woman who accused a certain ventilation engineer named Jay West of the murder of her father. On investigation I found within the cubicle the body of a man, wearing the identity disc of George Curtway and the blue shorts of an electronic engineer. The man had died from electrocution. “
“I see. “ Gregson stared at Susan. “You realize, of course, the seriousness of this accusation. Murder, together with mutiny and waste, is a crime punishable by death. In the case of wanton, premeditated murder together with mutiny, the death penalty also carries the punishment of torture. “ He paused. “I mention this so that you may be aware of the gravity of the charge. “
“I hope they make him scream for years, “ said Susan viciously. “He killed my father. “ She did not look at Jay. Gregson sighed.
“You actually saw the crime committed?”
“Of course not, “ she snapped. “Would I have stood by and watched my father being murdered?”
“Then what makes you so certain that this man is the guilty party?” Gregson glanced at Merrill. “How old was the deceased?”
“Fourteenth generation, “ said Merrill easily. “He was an expert electronic engineer. “
“I asked you his age, not his capabilities. “ Gregson softened his voice as he spoke to the girl. “You see? Your father was an old man, my dear, and old men aren’t always predictable. There is no proof that anyone killed him at all. “
“He’s dead, isn’t he?”
“Of course, but the death could have been accidental. “
“No. “
“You can’t be sure of that, “ insisted Gregson gently. “We of the psych-police, perhaps better than anyone else, know how soon a man can lose his mental stability when he nears his fortieth year. Perhaps your father felt his coming decline and, though I hesitate to suggest it, he may have decided to terminate his own life. “
“Ridiculous!” Susan shifted angrily in her chair and glared her contempt at the suggestion. “My father would never have committed suicide. “
“How can you be certain of that?” Gregson stared down at the surface of his desk then looked directly at the girl. “The very method of death is... suggestive, don’t you think? Who better than an expert in electronics would know just where the heavy current cables were to be found? Such a man would know how quick and painless death from electrocution would be. It seems logical to assume that your father may have chosen that way to end his life. “
“My father was sane, “ stated Susan flatly. “He was as efficient and as capable as he had ever been. He was old, true, but not that old. He was murdered. “
Looking at her, Jay had to admire her spirit. She knew nothing of the policy of the psych-police, naturally, and to her Gregson must seem a tedious old man trying to avoid the issue so that he could save himself work. Skillful handling by Merrill could have saved this situation but, glancing at the officer, Jay knew that, even if Susan hadn’t made the accusation, she would have been encouraged into it. For some reason Merrill hated Jay, and now he saw his way to get rid of an enemy.
And he had an excellent chance of doing just that.
If Jay admitted killing Curtway then he was slated for punishment beneath the Ship’s Code. Gregson couldn’t cover him up now, not when the accusation had been made public, and even if he could Jay had a shrewd idea that Merrill wouldn’t let him. If Jay told the truth, that he hadn’t killed Susan’s father, then he was in equal danger of elimination from Gregson for having failed his duty. Either way he was in danger of his life and, if George had spoken the truth, Gregson would be merciless. Jay leaned forward as Gregson spoke again.
“You have made an accusation, “ he said to Susan. “Your evidence?”
“I met this man, “ again she made a point of not looking at Jay, “immediately prior to finding the body of my father. There was no reason for him to be in that quarter. “
“Unwarranted assumption, “ snapped Gregson. “That is not proof. “
“I have reason to believe, “ she continued stiffly, “that my father had cause to speak to this man on certain private matters. My father was no duelist and would refuse to fight anyone no matter what the provocation. I suggest that this man was goaded into killing my father because he couldn’t murder him in the arena. “
“That isn’t true, “ blurted Jay. “I’ve never fought in the stadium either. I... “ He swallowed as he remembered the telltale red dot on the inside of his left forearm. As yet he’d had no chance to have it removed and he was acutely conscious of both Merrill and the girl looking at it. “I did not dislike your father, “ he muttered, “and I didn’t want to fight with him. “
“That’s not true, “ flared Susan. “My brother will testify that on approaching my father’s cubicle, he heard raised voices and this man demanding that my father should meet him in the arena for some fancied insult. Fred, my brother, didn’t wish to violate privacy and walked away. “ She bit down on her lower lip. “That was the last time either of us heard my father alive. “
“Still hardly proof of murder, “ snapped Gregson. “Is that all?”
“Seems pretty conclusive to me, “ said Merrill. “If the brother can swear that West was in the cubicle with Curtway and this girl saw him outside within seconds after finding the body.... “ He shrugged.
“I did not ask for your opinion, “ said Gregson coldly. He looked at Susan. “Have you any other testimony?”
“When I met him, “ Susan gestured towards Jay, “I noticed something odd about him. We’d quarreled, never mind about what, and yet he seemed too friendly and wanted to take me away from the area. “
“Perhaps he was sorry for the quarrel and wanted to restore himself in your good graces?”
“No. It wasn’t that. “ She frowned as if trying to stir her memory. “There was something else. There was an odor, a horrible burnt kind of smell around him-I don’t know how to describe it. “ Her face twisted in sudden emotion. “I smelled the same kind of odor when-“
“The body was burned beyond all recognition, “ explained Merrill to Gregson. “The charred odor was still very distinctive when I arrived. “
“I see. “ Gregson rested his head on the tips of his fingers, his elbows supported on the desk, and stared down at his papers for a moment as if lost in involved thought. Then he looked at the others, his face harsh and bleak, his eyes narrowed as he stared from face to face.
“You have heard the accusation and testimony, “ he said to Jay. “Can you refute them?”
“There is nothing for me to refute, “ said Jay easily. “Surmise, assumption, and sheer coincidence. “ He stared appealingly at Susan. “I did not kill this young lady’s father. He was my friend, I knew the entire family, and I swear to her on my hope of life that I did not do as she accuses. “
“Do you believe him?” Gregson stared at Susan.
“No. “
“You have no real proof, “ insisted Gregson. “Personally I could hardly bring myself to sentence this man without much firmer evidence. I.... “
His voice droned on but Jay was hardly listening. He was waiting for the obvious suggestion and, as Gregson spoke, he wondered why it hadn’t already been made. There was one certain way to test the guilt or innocence of any man. The lie detectors were part of Psycho, fool-proof, almost omnipotent in their efficiency. Susan, as yet, hadn’t demanded their use. Perhaps she hadn’t thought of it; perhaps, even now, she didn’t really believe that he was guilty of the crime, however much outraged feminine pride had made her accuse him. Gregson, of course, wouldn’t mention them. As far as he was concerned, Jay had killed the man and any evidence only went to strengthen that belief. The job had been almost criminal in its careless inefficiency, but these things had happened before and, to an extent, were tolerated for one time at least.
Merrill proved to be the Judas.
Susan was wavering, Jay could see that, could see too that Gregson would smooth her down, send her on her way and later report the finding of the “murderer” and his subsequent “death. “ A nice, normal, easy way out of an unpleasant difficulty.
“... so you see, my dear, “ soothed Gregson, “you must leave it to us. The psych-police aren’t as stupid as some people seem to think. There are certain tests and, even if we have to check every man and woman in the sector, we shall be able to either prove that your father was murdered or that his death was an unfortunate accident. “
“Tests?” Susan frowned. “How do you mean?”
“The odor you mentioned, “ explained Gregson easily. “We know that tiny particles which constitute what is known as an ‘odor’ can be found on the skin and clothing of any who were present. There are other things, perspiration index, for one and-“
“The lie detectors, “ said Merrill.
“Exactly. “ Gregson didn’t look at the officer but Jay could tell by the slight writhing of muscle along the edge of the jaw just how Gregson felt. “As I was saying-“
“This whole thing could be cleared up now, “ insisted Merrill. “Why don’t you just put the accused to the test’ and done with it?” He looked at Susan. “You’d be satisfied then, wouldn’t you? If this man answers truthfully whether or not he killed your father then you could go back and tell the others. If innocent you could clear his name. If guilty.... “ Merrill shrugged. “Personally, I’m surprised that he hasn’t requested it himself if he’s innocent of the charge. “
And that was that.
Numbly Jay grasped the twin electrodes and prepared to answer the questions. There was no hope of evasion, any lie would reveal itself in a flash of red across the signal plate, the truth with a flash of green. In minutes now, seconds even, the truth would come out. He only hoped that part would be revealed, not the whole. He tensed as Gregson leaned forward.
“Did you kill my father?” It was Susan who asked the question. She had risen in her excitement, her eyes anxious as she blurted the question, and Jay could guess that now, after the shock of finding the body had worn off a little, she desperately wanted to find him innocent. Jay looked directly into her eyes as he answered.
“No. “
Green, a wash of color across the blank surface of the detection plate and, with the glowing color Susan seemed to recover new life.
“I knew it, “ she whispered. “All the time I really knew that you couldn’t have done it, but I wasn’t sure. Oh, Jay!” She was in his arms then, the wonderful softness of her hair against his cheek and, for a moment, he relaxed to the nearness of her warmth and beauty. Merrill’s voice jerked him back to reality.
“It’s fixed! The detectors are fixed!” He stared wildly at Gregson, then at Jay. “You-“
“Be silent!” Gregson rose from his seat and stepped from behind his desk with a smooth coordination of muscular power. “Take the girl back to her sector and return to duty. “
“But-“
“You heard my orders, Merrill!”
“I heard them, “ said the officer stubbornly, “but I don’t like it. “
“The detectors cannot be ‘fixed’ as you call it, “ snapped Gregson impatiently. “This man did not kill this girl’s father. He is innocent of the accusation. “ He stared at Susan. “You will, of course, spread this information to all who may be interested. You have accused an innocent man and, while I can understand and sympathize with your emotional upset, you still owe it both to the psych-police and to Jay West to undo the harm you may have done. “ He pointed towards the door. “You may leave now. Merrill! Obey your orders. “
For a moment the officer hesitated, doubt struggling with his own knowledge; then, as he stared at Gregson’s taut features, he shrugged and led the way from the inner office. Jay was about to follow him when Gregson called him back.
“Not you West. Stay here. “
Jay knew what was coming, had known it from the first. He had not killed the man he should; Gregson knew it, Merrill would have too if he had stopped to think on the exact phraseology of the question, and now he had to answer for his failure. Tiredly he slumped back into the chair.
“You were lucky, “ said Gregson unexpectedly. “Did you realize that?”
Jay shrugged, not answering.
“If the question had been ‘Did you kill a man?’ your answer would have automatically convicted you to death by torture. Psycho would have seen to that, or the Captain rather, which is much the same thing. “ Gregson stared thoughtfully at the young man. “Who did you kill?”
“Curtway. “
“Don’t bother to lie to me, West. Merrill may think that the detectors have been fixed, but I know that they haven’t. You didn’t kill George Curtway. You killed someone else and planted the body in the place of your assignment. “ Gregson nodded. “I’d wondered about your apparent carelessness; sloppy work isn’t like you, and that job was ludicrously inefficient on the surface. You had to choose electrocution because nothing else would have disfigured the body beyond recognition. “ Gregson nodded again as if pleased at solving a problem. “Who was it?”
“Sam Aldway. “ Jay pointed to the assignment card on the desk. “I’m anticipating. You can cross him off already. “
“And Curtway?”
Jay remained silent.
“You’ve failed in your duty, West, “ said Gregson coldly, and now there was no trace of his former friendliness in his tone. “You know the penalty for that. “ He leaned forward and stared at Jay. “Why did you let him live?”
Gregson didn’t use the lie detectors, the obvious and simplest method of acquiring tested information and, looking at the chief of psych-police, Jay began to guess why. Tests on the detectors were recorded on tape and transmitted to Psycho. Others could possibly replay that information, the Captain certainly, though there was no indication that he ever did. Gregson was being cautious and, realizing that fact, Jay felt a first glimmer of hope.
“I’m in love with his daughter, “ he admitted. “I just couldn’t eliminate her father. “
“It that your only reason?”
“Yes. Sam Aldway, the man I killed, picked a quarrel with me. “ Jay shrugged. “I saw a chance to make the switch and took it. “
“I see. “ Gregson sighed with something like relief. “You know that Psycho determined Curtway’s death and you know that it is our job to eliminate the unfit as ordered by the machine?”
“I do. “
“You know too the penalty for inefficiency?”
“Yes. “
“You’re in trouble, West, “ said Gregson softly. “If I relay this information to Psycho, Merrill will take great pleasure in eliminating you. “ He paused. “Where is Curtway?”
“I don’t know. “
“But you could find him?”
“Yes, I think so. “
“Find him, West, “ ordered Gregson. “Find him and eliminate him. When you have done that notify me personally so that I can examine the body. Do that and I’ll forget to relay your inefficiency to Psycho. “ He smiled without humor and, watching him, Jay was reminded more than ever of a feline.
“Find and kill that man, West-or die. “
He was still smiling as Jay left the office.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
THE SHIP was a murmuring throb of whispering sound. The eternal, inevitable vibration of life trapped in a medium of emptiness and silence. It was comforting in a way to hear it, to feel the subtle quiver of footsteps, the soft drone of engines, the myriad sounds of five thousand people living and breathing, loving and hoping, playing and working in the titanic metal egg which was their universe and their home. George Curtway had known that sound all his life, had been born to it, lived with it, felt it as a part of him. Now, lying in the thick, almost tangible darkness of No-Weight, he clung to it as the one familiar thing in a world of terror.
He was afraid.
He was afraid of the darkness, the emptiness, the unseen vastness of the space around the central axis. Never before in his life had he been in any space larger than the exercise rooms; there had always been others around him, and even in the privacy of his own cubicle or the common rec-rooms, he’d had the comforting knowledge that others were within a few yards of him. Now, suffering from the twin fears of darkness and agoraphobia, he stared, wide eyed into the surrounding darkness.
He had not moved far since Jay had left him. He had tried to sleep a little, but had not felt tired. He didn’t feel hungry either, and had long ago lost all track of time.
