Read Online In Fire Forged: Worlds of Honor V-ARC by David Weber - Free Book Online
Authors: David Weber
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squeezed it, and he longed to reach out again.
But enough is enough, he cautioned himself, and returned to his explanation.
“What struck me right off was that the software being used to generate that particular avatar simulation was a very new design.” Seeing a wrinkle of protest shaping around her mouth, he hastened to continue. “Really. I realize to you it probably didn’t look any different from the programs kids use to play games, but I assure you, it was cutting edge. That particular program is very, very expensive, and so I figured that relatively few copies would have been sold at this point. I contacted the company and requested a list of purchasers—hinting I was interested in buying a copy myself, and wanted to check with others who were using the program.”
Judith managed a smile—a very small one, but the bravery of it wrung Michael’s heart.
“And the opportunity of being able to say ‘as used by Crown Prince Michael’ was such a tremendous temptation that I bet they overcame any qualms they had about customer confidentiality.”
“That’s right,” Michael said. “But I wasn’t pinning all my hopes on that one angle. I also put in a request for information about Banshee . Vincent helped there. Between his sources and mine, we came up with the owner of the ship.”
Judith frowned. “Wouldn’t that be a matter of public registration?”
“Oh, absolutely,” Michael agreed, “and learning the ship was owned by Starflight Rentals told us less than nothing. However, Starflight Rentals is a franchise, and this particular franchise is run by Timberlake Incorporated of Sphinx, and Timberlake Incorporated of Sphinx is owned by Mountain Holding Trust, and Mountain Holding Trust is wholly owned by one George Ramsbottom—who also happens to be on the very short list of people who bought the security software package in question.”
“And Banshee is heading toward Sphinx,” Judith said.
“Michael,” Todd said, his voice puzzled, “wasn’t the young lady—the one we met today—wasn’t her name…”
“Alice Ramsbottom,” Michael said with deep satisfaction. “Alice Ramsbottom who ‘just happened’ to show up when we were leaving Mount Royal today. I wonder if she was checking our timetable, making sure we would arrive at Judith’s apartment at the right psychological moment.”
“But,” Todd protested, “Alice asked us if we could stop and have a coffee or something.”
“I am willing to bet,” Michael said, “that if we had accepted, she would have ‘just happened’ to be called back to work in time for us to make our timely departure. As it was, we were a little early, but that worked to our advantage.”
“She seemed like such a nice girl,” Todd said, disbelief and a mournful note coloring his words.
“I liked her, too, when we were kids,” Michael admitted. “But a lot of years have passed. Alice said she was working as her father’s secretary. George Ramsbottom is an outspoken Conservative. Like most Conservatives, he is adamantly against our alliance with Grayson. Come to think of it, Babette Ramsbottom, Alice’s mother, has also spoken against it—but from the Liberal position. Isolationism’s probably the only point where the Liberals and the Conservative Association actually agree. So Alice could have been scouting for either of her folks.”
“And she seemed like such a nice girl,” Todd repeated.
“Prisons are full of people who seemed like ‘nice girls,’ Lieutenant Liatt,” Vincent observed sourly. “And I’d have to say, your Highness,” he continued, turning to Michael, “that I think your reasoning is sound.”
“And can the Sphinx detachment rustle up the sting ships for us?” Michael asked.
“There will probably be some questions asked,” Vincent replied with what Michael recognized as massive understatement. “The fact that I’m assigned directly to you should mean that they only get asked afterward, however. In fact, I
But enough is enough, he cautioned himself, and returned to his explanation.
“What struck me right off was that the software being used to generate that particular avatar simulation was a very new design.” Seeing a wrinkle of protest shaping around her mouth, he hastened to continue. “Really. I realize to you it probably didn’t look any different from the programs kids use to play games, but I assure you, it was cutting edge. That particular program is very, very expensive, and so I figured that relatively few copies would have been sold at this point. I contacted the company and requested a list of purchasers—hinting I was interested in buying a copy myself, and wanted to check with others who were using the program.”
Judith managed a smile—a very small one, but the bravery of it wrung Michael’s heart.
“And the opportunity of being able to say ‘as used by Crown Prince Michael’ was such a tremendous temptation that I bet they overcame any qualms they had about customer confidentiality.”
“That’s right,” Michael said. “But I wasn’t pinning all my hopes on that one angle. I also put in a request for information about Banshee . Vincent helped there. Between his sources and mine, we came up with the owner of the ship.”
Judith frowned. “Wouldn’t that be a matter of public registration?”
“Oh, absolutely,” Michael agreed, “and learning the ship was owned by Starflight Rentals told us less than nothing. However, Starflight Rentals is a franchise, and this particular franchise is run by Timberlake Incorporated of Sphinx, and Timberlake Incorporated of Sphinx is owned by Mountain Holding Trust, and Mountain Holding Trust is wholly owned by one George Ramsbottom—who also happens to be on the very short list of people who bought the security software package in question.”
“And Banshee is heading toward Sphinx,” Judith said.
“Michael,” Todd said, his voice puzzled, “wasn’t the young lady—the one we met today—wasn’t her name…”
“Alice Ramsbottom,” Michael said with deep satisfaction. “Alice Ramsbottom who ‘just happened’ to show up when we were leaving Mount Royal today. I wonder if she was checking our timetable, making sure we would arrive at Judith’s apartment at the right psychological moment.”
“But,” Todd protested, “Alice asked us if we could stop and have a coffee or something.”
“I am willing to bet,” Michael said, “that if we had accepted, she would have ‘just happened’ to be called back to work in time for us to make our timely departure. As it was, we were a little early, but that worked to our advantage.”
“She seemed like such a nice girl,” Todd said, disbelief and a mournful note coloring his words.
“I liked her, too, when we were kids,” Michael admitted. “But a lot of years have passed. Alice said she was working as her father’s secretary. George Ramsbottom is an outspoken Conservative. Like most Conservatives, he is adamantly against our alliance with Grayson. Come to think of it, Babette Ramsbottom, Alice’s mother, has also spoken against it—but from the Liberal position. Isolationism’s probably the only point where the Liberals and the Conservative Association actually agree. So Alice could have been scouting for either of her folks.”
“And she seemed like such a nice girl,” Todd repeated.
“Prisons are full of people who seemed like ‘nice girls,’ Lieutenant Liatt,” Vincent observed sourly. “And I’d have to say, your Highness,” he continued, turning to Michael, “that I think your reasoning is sound.”
“And can the Sphinx detachment rustle up the sting ships for us?” Michael asked.
“There will probably be some questions asked,” Vincent replied with what Michael recognized as massive understatement. “The fact that I’m assigned directly to you should mean that they only get asked afterward, however. In fact, I
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