process using conventional technological means will require several days of painstaking work at the very least, perhaps as long as a week." Saigo was about to interrupt when Dr. Westcott cut him off. "However," he said, "using magic I may be able to break through the conditioning and access the subject's memories immediately. There is, of course, some additional risk in using such powerful mind probing spells…" Westcott let the rest of the comment dangle. "Do it," Saigo said in a low voice. "We need the information as soon as possible, whatever the risk."
21
And there was war in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought Michael and his angels. -Revelation 12:7 Lynn Osborne stared with complete dismay at the image of the man on the flat-screen display in front of her. She gripped the padded handle she was tethered to along the bulkhead of the orbital station as her world seemed to fall out from under her and she felt the effects of the zero-gravity beginning to disorient her for the first time since she'd become used to space travel. "What did you say?" she repeated. Had she been anyone else, her tone would have earned a rebuke. Considering the situation, Richard Villiers chose to ignore it. "You heard me," he said. "We've lost him. As near as we can tell, a team hit the facility less than an hour ago. We're checking through the facility's data systems for any information, but it looks like they've been trashed by some kind of progressive virus the ComSci division can't identify. Whoever they were, they were thorough." "It could have only been one faction," she said. The man on the screen nodded grimly. "Renraku. They've taken our ace in the hole." "But how…?" "You let me worry about that, Lynn. You handle the Court." Osborne considered for a moment. It was only a couple of hours before the court was due to reconvene.
"I could get a continuance," she mused out loud. "Maybe buy us some time." "Try and do that," Villiers said. "We might be able to mount a recovery operation in time to make a difference. If not, we're well and truly fragged. We have no case against Renraku without proof they were trying to make use of the otaku in some way, and they'll use this to their advantage when the next court election comes up." "Do you think we have a chance of recovering him?" Villiers stared at her for a moment, then shook his head. He looked tired. "I really don't know, Lynn. We've got people working on it now. There's one possibility that's promising, but I can't get into it now. Not over the comm-link. Just stall the court for now and hope for the best." "What about Hague?" she asked. Villiers shook his head again. "He hasn't been updated yet. I want you to take care of that. Hague is still in too tight with the Yamanas for my taste. He'll go running to them at the first sign of any trouble and I don't want them getting wind of this yet. Since the operation involved one of my companies, it'll be a little while before the Japanese find out anything about the raid or the loss of the… evidence. I'd prefer to keep them off my back until we've got a handle on things. Keep Hague under control up there, understand?" Osborne nodded. It wouldn't be difficult to get David Hague to follow her lead in this matter, considering what was at stake. Hague was loyal enough to the Yamanas, the Japanese clan who got him his position on the Corporate Court, but he was far more loyal to maintaining the high lifestyle he had become accustomed to. Any threat to his prosperity would be enough to keep him in line. "I'll keep you updated," Villiers said just as a chime sounded at the door. "I have to go," Osborne said. Villiers nodded and broke the connection, the vidscreen going blank. Osborne smoothed her hands over her formal court robe and made sure her voice was steady as she called out the door. "Enter."