Regenesis

Momentary silence. A perusal by very cold, very opaque eyes. “You know about Eversnow.”

“Yes, ser. We do.”

“You got this card from the younger Warrick.”

“It was given, Ser. Volunteered by him.”

“He got it from Warrick Senior.”

“We observed that he did, ser, unless cards were switched. We didn’t search him. Justin Warrick has been honest with us.”

“Your personal recommendation on the matter. Florian AF?”

He drew a breath. “We’ve pulled Justin Warrick into sera’s wing, to prevent further contact. That was our immediate action.”

“Is he aware of what’s on the card?”

“The card was given him without explanation. He wasn’t observed reading it. He volunteered it to me, and we ran the address on it. We didn’t, however, run the data strip. It seems to us that needs to be done in lab.”

“We’ll do that,” Hicks said, “with precautions.”

“Sera will appreciate notification of the contents, whether or not it immediately concerns her security.”

Hicks’ jaw clamped. He was a man not in the habit of letting go of information without knowing parameters in advance. But slowly he nodded. “We appreciate your turning this over, Florian AF.”

“Sera will take action based on the contents, ser. We will keep your office apprised.”

“Sit down,” Hicks said. “For God’s sake, sit down.”

It seemed Hicks had something specific to discuss. Florian moved over to the chair and did sit down, leaned back, and looked at the man on the level. It was a worried look on the other side of the desk. A CIT with what seemed to be a problem.

“What’s your opinion on what you’ve found?” Hicks asked.

“First, that Jordan Warrick may or may not have known what was on the card. Second, Justin had no idea, and was uncomfortable with the possession of it in the circumstances. Third, Dr. Patil may or may not know that her information was traded.”

“What, in your opinion, was Warrick’s motive?”

“We have no current theory, except to say he wants his son closer to him and we want him farther away. Closer in the metaphysical sense as well as the physical.”

“His loyalty, you mean.”

“The younger Warrick isn’t amenable to his father’s past politics. He avoids that topic. He has no political leanings of his own.”

“Everyone born a CIT has a political leaning.”

“His is definitely not toward the Centrists, then, ser. His beliefs run counter to theirs.”

“So you don’t think his gift of the card to you was simply because he knew he was watched. Do you think he would have turned it in under other circumstances?”

“ JordanWarrick knew they were watched, ser. He’s always watched.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“In response to your question, ser, if he hadn’t handed it to us last night, he would have likely handed it over sometime today, because he isn’t in agreement with his father’s gesture. He doesn’t favor involvement with clandestine matters. And while he regards his father highly he will equally well wish to avoid any involvement in his father’s actions, where they may cross ReseuneSec. He has had extensive experience with your office, ser, and has no wish to cross your path again.”

“What do you think is going on with the elder Warrick?”

“Resentment of past confinement and present limitations. A desire to agitate, possibly to inject new energy into a quiet status quo with Admin. Possibly a third motive. My information is insufficient.”

“But your information is current in the case of the younger Warrick. You’re quite satisfied that he poses no risk to your principal.”

“I am very confident of my estimate of Justin Warrick. We wouldn’t allow him in the same room with sera if we were in the least doubtful about his intentions.”

“What is your estimate of the Patil situation?”

“I can’t possibly estimate, ser, except to ask if it’s possible Director Schwartz himself provoked Jordan Warrick to do this. The coincidence is extreme, if there is no causality. Both know Patil, ser Warrick secondhand, as best I know, and Dr. Schwartz has met with her–intended to meet with her at the time he last spoke with Warrick Senior. We know there was an intense argument between ser Warrick and Dr. Schwartz on that occasion, before Dr. Schwartz left for Novgorod. We don’t know the content.”

“It was an unrecorded conversation,” Hicks said. “In that, Florian AF, you and I are in the same situation.”

Interesting. And there was one, perhaps one, window to ask into that matter. “Ser. This touches sera’s security, considering Justin Warrick was involved, and Justin Warrick and his companion are under her protection. Eversnow was the topic of di

A moment of silence. “Meaning, ser?”

“Meaning we will act, ser, if we see a problem to sera’s wing or sera’s interests, including the safety of present Reseune Administration.”

“You’re bright. Tell me, Florian AF, what would youadvise we do about Dr. Patil?”

“Investigate. There’s no information yet. The action doesn’t seem friendly to her interests. But we don’t know with any surety what her interests are.”

“Facts: the Director met with Dr. Patil in Novgorod. They discussed her promotion to a division leadership in ReseuneLabs at Fargone, involving a covert Reseune development at Eversnow. Jordan Warrick signals us that he knows Patil. Which he does…possibly more than secondhand, for all we can discover. You know what she works on.”

“Nanistics. Bionanistics of a secret and restricted nature.”

“Then you understand the difficulty of turning up information. The military has classified much of her work, classified much of what goes on at Planys. Wecan’t get over that wall. And the nature of what she works on–makes a physical search of her premises problematic and dangerous. If she’s doing something she oughtn’t, or communicating with people she oughtn’t, yes, there is a danger.”

“I would put forward a suggestion, ser.”

“What would that be?”

“Let her leave for the assignment. Then detain her and her baggage once she reaches orbit. That narrows the problem. She’ll either attempt to destroy things before she leaves, or take certain things with her.”

Hicks’ face was habitually unexpressive, lined with years of grim business. An actual smile flickered in the corners of the mouth. “Good. Not, actually, surprising. What other suggestions, Florian AF?”

“Sera’s personal security doesn’t have the scope or the equipment to take certain steps. You do. We would also be extremely interested to know about any leak of information out of Planys, or into it.”

“We’ve consistently taken steps to find out.”

Over a period of time, then, a long‑term watch. “From before Jordan Warrick came here?”

A grudging dip of the head.

“Planys staff?” Florian asked. “Operatives inside the University?”

“Not all the specialist agents are as far removed as the stations in orbit. We can deal with a nanistics situation. Clearly we have mutual concerns. And we’ve come to a point of mutual interest. You’re very much what I expected. Alpha. No question.”

“Ser?”

“Is your partner outside?”

“She remained with sera. Internal policy.”

Hicks nodded slowly. “You insisted on monitoring that di