Pegasus In Space

Peter almost resented that tone of "we know best." He reminded himself that Rhyssa did have his best interests at heart. And she might be recovering from the shock of the disclosure.

In Padrugoi's security offices, Ensign Liz Predush was still matching surveillance tapes with the images of those who had visited the Station during the critical time when Limo-34 could have been sabotaged. She was comparing faces of arrivals with those taken at other locations on every level. Suddenly a match sharpened her attention as the two screens blinked out a bingo! A match. One didn't need a fullface image to make a match: the state-of-the-art imaging program analyzed not only the face, but also body type, height, mass, and any unusual characteristics. On arrival, a visitor's image was taken fullface and then in profile as s/he moved through the security section. The program had enough data to provide positive identification.

"Georg Fraga," she murmured to herself, noting the arrival data and then the fact that he had been on the boat deck where Flimflam had had his workshop; where Limo-34 had been moored, awaiting her passengers. The person nearest him had his back to the surveillance lens. Her fingers flew over the pressure sensitive keys, enlarging the figure, hitting the "match" command.

"Well, lookit this," Liz said, and no longer resented the long hours that culminated in this moment. "Commander Bindra? I got something to show you."

"Georg Fraga?" Bindra leaned over her shoulder, eyes bugged out at the double match. "He's Space Authority. He was supposed to be in Mai Leitao's cabin until it was time to board the return shuttle."

"And that's Albert Ponce, sir. Can't see his face but this guy matches him physically." Liz enlarged the figure once again, sharpened the focus. "Him wearing Engineering tabs on his collar. Can just make 'em out. We can check with what was found in 7299A."

Bindra straightened, slowly letting his breath out, feeling sharp triumph.

"Good work, Liz. I'd never have thought it of Fraga, though."

"Everyone has a weakness, sir. Just as you keep telling me."

"Yes, but what is Fraga's?"

Ensign Predush sat back in her chair. It wasn't up to her to comment about people in Fraga's level.

"Document this, Liz, and I think we'd better give the data to Commissioner Roznine. It'll be his baby downside."

Boris Roznine, in his official capacity, was paying a discreet visit to the Jerhattan headquarters of the Space Authority. As he approached the security barrier, he was rehearsing several approaches, so it was a distinct surprise when a large hand stopped him.

"Where might you be going, sir?" said the large muscled man who had halted his progress.

"I'm LEO," Boris began, holding out his wrist.

"You don't look it," was the reply.

"What do you mean by that?" Boris was astonished by the response.

"Well, you don't."

Boris pushed forward, thrusting his wrist toward the reader to establish his identity.

"Oh, you're the LEO Commissioner," the guard said with a slight accent on the LEO, his expression amiable as he read the panel on the narrow decoder screen, steadily green in "identity confirmed" mode.

"I told you that." Could the guard possibly be detaining him on purpose in order to give warning? "What did you think LEO meant?"

"It could be your astrological sign," the guard suggested with an indolent shrug followed by a grin, "but you certainly aren't a Low Earth Orbit."

"Oh." Boris was surprised. He'd never realized that there was an alternate version of the acronym, one that would certainly be in common currency at the Space Authority.

"To each his own," the guard said, blithely waving him through the security arch and into the building.

Without further hindrance, Boris made his way to the elevator banks, cutting through the visitors in the huge, vaulted lobby, glancing only briefly at the model of Padrugoi suspended from the ceiling. He reached the level he required and told the attentive security woman at the desk that he wished to see Secretary Abubakar immediately. Impassively she gestured to the wrist reader inset in the desk and her manner became considerably more cordial as it clarified his rank and identity. She leaned over the comunit and announced his presence. Obviously the answer was positive for she escorted him to the end of the hall and, opening the door, gestured for him to enter.

Secretary Abubakar was on his feet and coming forward to welcome his visitor, however unexpected.

Boris held up a pencil file. "I came straight to you with this information, Secretary."

"Information?" Abubakar accepted the file and put it in the reader. The information came on the screen on his desk. "Georg? But he was with Mai the whole time."

"Notice the time of the encounter, Secretary. There was sufficient time for Fraga to reach the boat bay, speak to the man we have positively identified as Albert Ponce, aka Flimflam, and return to his vigil beside her. As she was sedated, he has no one to vouch for his so exemplary vigil."