Page 18 of Skinwalker's Bane
Bishan was a master strategist. Devin had learned a lot from him in the two years he had been managing her career. She could see, now, the implications without Bishan having to lay them out for her.
If this was true, then Owen’s amazing popularity on the ship would diminish rapidly. The trust theEndurancehad in her leadership would crumble. Questions would rise about what other critical news she had withheld from them. It would be a horrible mess.
Anyone associated with Owens, anyone seen as an ally, would come under the same scrutiny and distrust. As much as she admired Zsoka Owens, Devin would be better to put as much distance between Owens and herself as possible. That was why Bishan had verbally shoved her out here. He wanted her to understand.
There was no other political figure in the market place. No one she recognized. Devin was alone out here, with an audience.
Bull was turning red in the face as the crowd around him heckled and teased. Devin was sure that given much more of it, Bull would stomp his foot in childish rage. He was a simple man, yet his statements had been full of words and implications that were far too sophisticated for someone like him. Who had coached him?
Devin drew in a breath, for better volume and tone control, then spoke. “Dhaval Bull, who told you about the shard? Can you prove what you are saying?”
Bull looked at her, startled. Around her, the crowd noise dropped a little, although there was still a lot of merriment. The speakers of the Aventine were considered to be entertainment and they were enjoying themselves.
Bull shook his head. “That’s not important,” he said. “What’s important is that the Captain lied to everyone. There are otherthingsout there. Throwing stuff at us!”
There were some isolated sniggers in the crowd. The more thoughtful of them fell silent, their amusement fading. It was the first time they had considered what “another intelligence” might mean.
It also explained why Bull had been given the news about the shard. He was the perfect bearer of such tidings. He and his Cavers were paranoid, inclined to believe anything outlandish. They were happy to think that someone other than themselves was responsible for their woes. Now they had aliens to blame.
Devin nodded. “Stating the Captain lied is serious claim, Dhaval Bull. No one is disputing you, yet, but proof is needed.”
Bull shook his head furiously. “You don’t get it. She lied! Ask her! Demand to know the truth!”
It was a good idea, even if the man suggesting it was semi-insane with delusions of conspiracy.
Devin pushed her way to the front of the crowd. Most of them made way for her without complaint. She stepped up onto the speaker’s stand next to Bull’s and faced the crowd. There were more people than had been here when she had almost run from her office to the market. At least a hundred people had gathered about and more were hurrying over to the see what the fuss was about.
There were two more lenses floating above them, too. More people were watching remotely, alerted by a news stream. Bishan would have seen to that. He was very good at manipulating behind-the-scenes support.
“My name is Devin Bronson,” she said. “I am not a Caver. I work here on the Aventine. Dhaval Bull does have a point. Does anyone know about the shard he is speaking of? Has anyone heard anything about it, before?”
Someone raised their hand. Devin pointed to them.
“My dad used to talk about the great holings. I don’t remember them. He said there wasn’t anything natural about them.”
More superstition. Devin was disappointed. “Before anyone gets upset about aliens, we should first confirm that the shard exists and that Bull’s claims are correct, that it isn’t a natural space object.”
“Go ask the Captain!” came the call.
“I don’t have the ear of the Captain,” Devin called back. “I can’t just run up to the Bridge gate and demand her time. I have to go through the same channels as you.”
“Then do it!” a man growled from the far left edge of the crowd, up against the bushes dividing off the market.
“Do you want me to ask the Captain?” Devin said, lifting her voice and pushing the air from her lungs for maximum projection power.
“Yes!” the united cry came back, although beneath it she heard a few dissenting mutters. She ignored them. The majority had made themselves heard.
“Very well,” she told them. “I will ask the Captain and report back to you. Give me a week to speak to her. I don’t know how long it takes to get an appointment. A week seems reasonable. Come back here at this time next week and I will let you know what the Captain has said.”
It was a signal to everyone. The crowd disintegrated and broke up into smaller groups, who wandered away, chatting amongst themselves.
That left Bull on his box and Devin on hers. She looked at him. “Who told you about the shard?” she asked. “It will help me with the Captain if I know the source. Then she can’t dismiss me out of hand.”
“You’re really going to talk to her?”
“I really am,” Devin assured him.
He shook his head. “She won’t ever talk to me.”
