Bolbay looked at the small group that had assembled here. All right, she said. Im going to call up the events of 146/128/11.
Adikor nodded in resignation. He wasnt sure about the eleventh day, but the 128th moon since the birth of generation 146 sounded right.
The room darkened and an almost invisible sphere, like a soap bubble, appeared to float in front of them. Bolbay evidently felt the default size wasnt dramatic enough for her purposes: Adikor could hear her snapping control buds out, and the spheres diameter grew until it was more than an armspan across. She plucked more controls, and the sphere filled with three smaller spheres packed together, each tinged with a slightly different color. Then those spheres subdivided into three more each, and those ones subdivided again, and on and on, like sped-up video of some alien cell undergoing mitosis. As the overall sphere filled with progressively smaller and smaller spheres, those smaller spheres took on more and more colors, until, finally, the process stopped, and an image of a young man standing in a positive-pressure thinking room at the Science Academy filled the viewing sphere, as though it were a three-dimensional sculpture made of beads.
Adikor nodded; this recording was made long enough ago that the new resolution enhancements werent available. Still, it was eminently watchable.
Bolbay was evidently operating more controls. The bubble spun around so that everyone could see the face of the person being depicted. It was Ponter Boddit. Adikor had forgotten how young Ponter had looked back then. He glanced at Jasmel, sitting next to him. Her eyes were wide in wonder. It probably wasnt lost on her that here was her father at just about the age she was now; indeed, Klast had already been pregnant with Jasmel at the time these images were recorded.
That, of course, is Ponter Boddit, said Bolbay. At half his current ageor what would be his current age, if he were still alive. She quickly pushed on before the adjudicator could berate her. Now, Im going to fast-forward
The image of Ponter walked, sat, stood, puttered around the room, consulted a datapad, shimmied against a scratching pole, all at frenetic speed. And then the airlock door to the room openedthe positive pressure kept out pheromones that might distract ones studyingand a young Adikor Huld entered.
Pause, said Adjudicator Sard. Bolbay froze the image. Scholar Huld, will you confirm that that is indeed you?
Adikor was somewhat mortified to see his own face; hed forgotten that for a brief time hed adopted the affectation of shaving off his beard. Ah, but if that were the only folly from his youth that had been recorded Yes, Adjudicator, said Adikor, softly. Thats me.
All right, said Sard. Continue.
The image in the bubble started running forward again at high speed. Adikor moved around the room, as did Ponteralthough the image of Ponter always stayed in the center of the sphere; it was the space around him that shifted.
Adikor and Ponter seemed to be talking amiably
And then talking less amiably
Bolbay slowed the playback to normal speed.
Ponter and Adikor were arguing by this point.
And then
And then
And then
Adikor wanted to close his eyes. His own memories of this event were vivid enough. But hed never seen it from this perspective, never seen the expression that had been on his face
And so he watched.
Watched as he clenched his fingers
Watched as he pulled back his arm, biceps bulging
Watched as he propelled his arm forward
Watched as Ponter lifted his head just in time
Watched as his fist connected with Ponters jaw .
Watched as Ponters jaw snapped sideways
Watched as Ponter staggered backward, blood spurting from his mouth
Watched as Ponter spit out teeth.
Bolbay froze the image again. Yes, to his credit, the expression now on the young Adikors face was one of shock and great remorse. Yes, he was bending over to help Ponter up. Yes, he clearly regretted what hed done, which of course had been
had been coming within a hairs-breadth of killing Ponter Boddit, staving in the front of his skull with a punch backed by all of Adikors strength.
Megameg was crying now. Jasmel had shifted in her chair, moving away from Adikor. Adjudicator Sard was shaking her head slowly back and forth in disbelief. And Bolbay-
Bolbay was standing, arms crossed in front of her chest.
So, Adikor, said Bolbay, should I play the whole thing back with the sound on, or would you like to save us all some time and tell us what you and Ponter were fighting about?
Adikor felt nauseous. This isnt fair, he said softly. This isnt fair. Ive undergone treatments to help me control my temperadjustments to neurotransmitter levels; my personality sculptor will confirm that. Id never hit anyone before in my life, and I never have since.
You didnt answer my question, said Bolbay. What were you fighting about?
Adikor was silent, slowly shaking his head back and forth.
Well, Scholar Huld? demanded the adjudicator.
It was trivial, said Adikor, looking down at the moss-covered floor now. It was He took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. It was a philosophical point, related to quantum physics. There have been many interpretations of quantum phenomena, but Ponter was clinging to what he knew full well was an incorrect model. II know now he was just goading me, but
But it proved too much for you, said Bolbay. You let a simple discussion of sciencescience!get out of hand, and you got so angry that you lashed out in a way that might have cost Ponter his life had you hit him just a fraction of a handspan higher.
This isnt fair, Adikor repeated, looking now at the adjudicator. Ponter forgave me. He never brought a public accusation; without a victims accusation, by definition no crime has been committed. His tone was pleading now. Thats the law.
We saw this morning in the Council chamber just how well Adikor Huld controls his temper these days, said Bolbay. And youve now seen that he tried once before to kill Ponter Boddit. He failed that time, but I believe theres every reason to think he recently succeeded, down in the quantum-computing facility deep beneath the Earth. Bolbay paused, then looked at Sard. I think, she said, her voice smug, weve established the facts sufficiently to merit you sending this matter on to a full tribunal.
Chapter 25
Mary went to the front window of Reubens house and looked outside. Even though it was after 6:00 P.M., there would still be light for another couple of hours at this time of year, and
Good God! The producer for Discovery Channel wasnt the only one who had figured out where they were. Two TV vans with microwave antennas on their roofs, and three cars decorated with radio-station logos were outside as well, plus a beat-up Honda with one fender a different color than the rest of the car; it presumably belonged to a print journalist. Once the wire-service piece had gone out about her authenticating Ponters DNA, apparently everyone had started taking this seemingly impossible story seriously.
Reuben finally got off the phone. Mary turned to look at him.
Im not really set up for guests, said the doctor, but
What? said Louise, surprised.
But Mary had already figured it out. Were not going anywhere, are we? she said.
Reuben shook his head. The LCDC has ordered a quarantine on this building. Nobody goes in or out.
For how long? said Louise, her brown eyes wide.
Thats up to the government, replied Reuben. Several days, at least.
Days! exclaimed Louise. But but
Reuben spread his hands. Im sorry, but theres no telling whats floating around in Ponters bloodstream.