junipers and blue oaks to the south.
“You’re sure that someone is after you, and that it wasn’t a mistake?”
“Once might be a coincidence. Twice is not.”
“The casts just mentioned—”
“That was the second time.” I took another sip of the verdyn before continuing. “I can’t find any traces of who might be after me. Neither can Father or Gerrat. Nor can the CAs, but then, nobody has much to work on. It still seems rather odd in a world where almost every square millimeter is monitored one way or another.”
“The only thing that might be odd is that someone exists who is motivated enough, and bright enough to carry out something like that. Oh…and patient enough. True motivation and patience are rare these days.”
With the patience, Mertyn definitely had a point.
“I must confess I did see one of the casts. You couldn’t see much but a flare of energy shrouding your glider, and the skytors’ resolution left something to be desired.”
“Well…Gerrat’s people do monitor the CA net,” I pointed out.
“Your brother’s operation has access to everything that can be monitored.”
“And he says he can’t find anything.”
“That’s not surprising. A gardener arrives near your house a month ago and works on something. A repairman delivers something else. Or a power assessor checks a malfunctioning system. The systems monitor what people appear to do, not what they really do.”
“That implies both organization and conspiracy.”
“Most unsolved crimes fall into that niche. Spontaneous violent crimes show up on some monitor, and most people can’t hide erratic behavior for long when they know they could always be watched. It takes organization and supreme confidence, but these days, if someone isn’t discovered immediately, they seldom are.” Mertyn smiled ironically before he took a sip of the pale ale he had always brewed—to me it tasted like soapy water. “And, as I said, it takes a certain motivation.”
“So who’s after me? The Dynae? The naturists? They have motivation.”
The fine dark eyebrows lifted. “I doubt that your parentage alone, or your mildly skeptical observations on society, would raise the wrath of either the Dynae or their followers or of the naturists. You’re more likely to be a target of the norm students who think all pre-selects are evil.”
“That’s absurd….”
“Or of some radical norm organization,” he continued.
I shook my head at the idea.
“What people believe, Daryn, is what they wish to believe, and that includes you.”
I tried not to wince.
“As for the Dynae and the naturists, in fact, there have been favorable references to you.” He laughed. “Yet you’re such a creature of the establishment that you think of them first.”
“So whom should I suspect? My few business acquaintances? My family? Or some students or norms who don’t even know I exist?”
“Not your immediate family. Their honor—particularly your father’s—would not let him even consider that. And if he had something like that in mind…well, he is very effective.”
“You’re saying that I’d already be dead.”
Mertyn nodded. “Also, there’s no point for Gerrat to remove you, and, unlike your father, I doubt he has the expertise or the contacts.”
“I seem to have raised someone’s wrath, and neither of the attempts was inexpensive.” I took a sip of the verdyn.
“Perhaps you’re being groomed to be a martyr. That’s a good destiny for a younger son who hasn’t established himself in the power structure.”
“Me? I’m not a good martyr candidate, Mertyn. I’m too cynical, and I’m certainly not associated with any great causes.”
“That could always come after you’re safely dead.” A twisted smile appeared on his thin lips. “I’m not suggesting your family is martyring you. If …if that is the motivation, it would be someone else in UniComm or the communications field who would use your death to show your
“You’re sure that someone is after you, and that it wasn’t a mistake?”
“Once might be a coincidence. Twice is not.”
“The casts just mentioned—”
“That was the second time.” I took another sip of the verdyn before continuing. “I can’t find any traces of who might be after me. Neither can Father or Gerrat. Nor can the CAs, but then, nobody has much to work on. It still seems rather odd in a world where almost every square millimeter is monitored one way or another.”
“The only thing that might be odd is that someone exists who is motivated enough, and bright enough to carry out something like that. Oh…and patient enough. True motivation and patience are rare these days.”
With the patience, Mertyn definitely had a point.
“I must confess I did see one of the casts. You couldn’t see much but a flare of energy shrouding your glider, and the skytors’ resolution left something to be desired.”
“Well…Gerrat’s people do monitor the CA net,” I pointed out.
“Your brother’s operation has access to everything that can be monitored.”
“And he says he can’t find anything.”
“That’s not surprising. A gardener arrives near your house a month ago and works on something. A repairman delivers something else. Or a power assessor checks a malfunctioning system. The systems monitor what people appear to do, not what they really do.”
“That implies both organization and conspiracy.”
“Most unsolved crimes fall into that niche. Spontaneous violent crimes show up on some monitor, and most people can’t hide erratic behavior for long when they know they could always be watched. It takes organization and supreme confidence, but these days, if someone isn’t discovered immediately, they seldom are.” Mertyn smiled ironically before he took a sip of the pale ale he had always brewed—to me it tasted like soapy water. “And, as I said, it takes a certain motivation.”
“So who’s after me? The Dynae? The naturists? They have motivation.”
The fine dark eyebrows lifted. “I doubt that your parentage alone, or your mildly skeptical observations on society, would raise the wrath of either the Dynae or their followers or of the naturists. You’re more likely to be a target of the norm students who think all pre-selects are evil.”
“That’s absurd….”
“Or of some radical norm organization,” he continued.
I shook my head at the idea.
“What people believe, Daryn, is what they wish to believe, and that includes you.”
I tried not to wince.
“As for the Dynae and the naturists, in fact, there have been favorable references to you.” He laughed. “Yet you’re such a creature of the establishment that you think of them first.”
“So whom should I suspect? My few business acquaintances? My family? Or some students or norms who don’t even know I exist?”
“Not your immediate family. Their honor—particularly your father’s—would not let him even consider that. And if he had something like that in mind…well, he is very effective.”
“You’re saying that I’d already be dead.”
Mertyn nodded. “Also, there’s no point for Gerrat to remove you, and, unlike your father, I doubt he has the expertise or the contacts.”
“I seem to have raised someone’s wrath, and neither of the attempts was inexpensive.” I took a sip of the verdyn.
“Perhaps you’re being groomed to be a martyr. That’s a good destiny for a younger son who hasn’t established himself in the power structure.”
“Me? I’m not a good martyr candidate, Mertyn. I’m too cynical, and I’m certainly not associated with any great causes.”
“That could always come after you’re safely dead.” A twisted smile appeared on his thin lips. “I’m not suggesting your family is martyring you. If …if that is the motivation, it would be someone else in UniComm or the communications field who would use your death to show your
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