Part 50 (1/2)

”It was once thought to be the road to self-aware computers,” Kosta said. ”The point is that angels in

a group show definite signs of intelligence; and over the past few years you've taken thousands of angels out of Angelma.s.s. If you've left that same number of anti-angels behind, then it follows-”

”Hold it,” Forsythe cut him off. ”Anti-angels?”

”The angel anti-particle,” Kosta said.

”Never heard of it.”

”No one has,” Kosta said. ”But I'm convinced they exist.”

He nodded his head toward the ceiling, in the general direction of Angelma.s.s. ”And if I'm right-and if anti-angels have the same potential for intelligence that angels do-then Angelma.s.s itself may have become sentient.”

Pirbazari shook his head. ”This is ridiculous,” he said. ”We're talking about a black hole, not some

two-year-old kid or even a well-trained chimp. How could it possibly be intelligent?”

”I know it sounds crazy,” Kosta admitted. ”But Angelma.s.s's behavior is already defying all known black hole theory. This...o...b..t-changing thing is only the latest example.”

”So how would you go about proving it?” Forsythe asked.

”First step is to pin down the existence of anti-angels,” Kosta told him. ”I've put together some

equipment that will hopefully be able to locate, identify, and capture one. While I'm doing that, we need Dr. Frashni's team to get busy on larger angel arrays, to work on the intelligence aspect.”

”I see,” Forsythe murmured. ”Well, we can certainly get Dr. Frashni busy on the second part. As to

the first part...” He c.o.c.ked his head slightly to the side. ”We'll see who the Inst.i.tute can recommend

for that.”

Kosta felt his throat tighten. ”Sir, I already have the equipment ready. It would take someone else days to design and a.s.semble their own version.”

”Why can't they just use yours?”

Kosta waved a hand, a truncated gesture with the wrist cuffs anchoring his arms to the chair. ”Most of the planning and procedure is in my head,” he said. ”I didn't have time to write anything down. It

would take as long for me to brief someone on the technique as it would for them to start from scratch.”

”Then they can start from scratch,” Forsythe declared, standing up. ”First things first, Zar. Have

EmDef order a transport to Angelma.s.s Central. The station's got three hours to evacuate.”

”Yes, sir,” Pirbazari said, an odd look on his face. ”Sir, under the circ.u.mstances...?”

”We have to evacuate the station anyway,” Forsythe said. ”There's no reason we can't get the Inst.i.tute busy on this, too.”

Pirbazari grimaced, but nodded. ”All right. Do you want Central's net left on?”

”Might as well,” Forsythe said. ”As Mr. Kosta suggests, we may want to get someone up there to check things out.”

”High Senator, please,” Kosta said in a low voice. ”We can't afford to waste time.”

”I'll be sure to mention that to Director Podolak,” Forsythe said. ”And when you've finished that call, Zar, you and the guards can escort Mr. Kosta to the EmDef military jail. I'm done with him.”

”Yes, sir.”

Pirbazari disappeared back into the outer office complex, closing the door behind him. ”Ironic, isn't it,” Forsythe commented, half to Kosta, half seemingly to himself. ”For months I've been searching for a way to stop the flow of angels into the Empyrean. For a time, in fact, I even thought your research might be the key I needed.”

He shook his head. ”And so now you give me the key I've needed; just as the Pax begin their invasion. Funny how fast one's priorities can change, isn't it?”

He straightened up. ”I'll give you one chance. Tell me what sort of Fifth Column arrangements the Pax has set up across the Empyrean, and I'll ask EmDef to be lenient with you.”

”I wish I could, sir,” Kosta said. ”I really do. I don't want this war any more than you do. I can give you the location of the automated sleeper drop on Lorelei where I picked up my doc.u.ments, but that's all I've got.”

”Too bad,” Forsythe said. ”Normally, the court would probably hand down a life sentence for the crime of espionage. Considering that we're at war, I suspect they'll opt for summary execution instead.” Turning, he started for the door.

It was odd, Kosta thought distantly, to hear a sentence of death being handed down to you. Odd, because at that moment his own life didn't seem to matter. In his mind's eye he could see the blazing fury that was Angelma.s.s, moving impossibly about in its...o...b..t, threatening hunters.h.i.+ps and Angelma.s.s Central.

Perhaps even Seraph itself.

Was Angelma.s.s intelligent? Kruyrov's data certainly pointed that direction. Was it evil? They had only Ronyon's terrified reaction to go by, plus the vicious attacks on the various hunters.h.i.+ps. But if the angels were influences for good, even imperfect ones, what else could a ma.s.s of anti-angels be?

He didn't have any answers. But there was one thing that was certain, and that was that they didn't have much time. Not with Angelma.s.s only four days from Central. Not with the bureaucratic delays that would inevitably slow down any solutions even once the anti-angel's existence had been proven.

Not with the Pax war machine already at Lorelei.

No one else at the Inst.i.tute could come up with an experimental procedure fast enough. It had to be Kosta's equipment, and the Daviees' hunters.h.i.+p. And he could certainly not run any experiments from an EmDef prison cell.

Forsythe was reaching for the door now. ”You're not wearing an angel, High Senator,” Kosta said.

Forsythe turned back, a puzzled frown on his face. ”What are you talking about?” he asked, tapping the gold chain and pendant around his neck. ”What do you think this is?”

”It's a fake,” Kosta said, studying Forsythe's face. The man was good, all right, every bit as competent an actor as he'd earlier accused Kosta of being. ”Ronyon has the real one.”