I erged from the Khans temporary quarters an hour later. My guns were cleaner than theyd ever been, and the Khan himself followed behind with a healthy color restored to his face and strength back in his movents. It would likely take him much longer to fully recover, but I saw the value in his subterfuge when I saw his n stand straighter, as if their spines suddenly gained the support of steel bars. The Khan himself approached one of his honor guard.
Accept any of Donovans instructions as if they were my own. I must speak with Atlan.
The guard gave a deep respectful nod, and turned his attention to , the cogwheel jewelry he wore jangling a bit as he moved, his body nearly black with tattoos representing honors among the Horde.
All of the n and won involved in the attack in which the Khan was injured. I need to speak with them.
I expected a bit of pushback or so additional questions, in the past the Khans n had difficulty showing the respect he expected them to, but this ti no such thing happened. The guard moved to another set of guards, then another, and before I knew it people were being assembled for to speak with.
I cleared out one of the smaller dina buildings, one that mustve been so prostitutes hovel based on the decorations and unfortunate slls, and started calling them in one at a ti. My questions were simple. What happened? and Did you attempt to kill the Khan? All while my Lie Detector Ability was active, and I scanned their Jobs.
The first person I called in was a woman. She had a fresh tattoo on her arm, the scent of blood and ink providing a welco retrieve from the slls of the room I was in. She had a hard look in her eyes as she saw .
I didnt bother with smalltalk. In the attack in which the Khan was injured, what did you see?
We attacked, crushed many of them beneath our treads or tore through them with our guns, the Khan led us twice, doing us great honor both tis. As he retreated the second ti though She paused, choking up a bit. Five, maybe seven cars broke formation and fired near his location He was hurt, we circled him while the enemy pushed to make sure he died, circling like vultures. We retreated, and lost many cars.
TRUTH
Did you attempt to kill the Khan?
She stood and spat at my feet.
Answer the question, I said, eting her angry glare with neutrality.
No. I would NEVER!
TRUTH
I nodded. Get out and send in the next one.
She bristled for a mont, but showed herself out without raising any more of a fuss.
With each interview, the picture began to grow clearer. They mustered and attacked as they always did. The Khan led the way on the first pass, then the third, and on that third pass a group of about seven vehicles broke formation and started firing in the direction of the Khan as He went to begin passing back toward safety. From there it was confusion, death, and a rapid retreat.
When I got to those n and won who were in that group of seven, the story was much the sa, but in their eyes the mistakes were everyone else's. Theyd heard soone yell the order to change formation and fire, and had followed them to the letter. Theyd seen the Khans vehicle and aid away from it, and around it, as theyd trained to do.
And what did this voice sound like? I asked.
The man shrugged. Dunno, a man.
Did he sound like he was from Fette? Have a Kaijin accent? A STARs drawl?
Fette. Definitely wouldnt have been able to hear anyone else over the engines, and damned sure wouldnt have listened to anyone from fucking STAR.
And you dont know for sure who it was?
Nope.
TRUTH
I sighed. It had been the sa story with all the others that had heard the voice.
I would never attack the Khan on purpose.
I looked at him.
The idea that one of us could have done this we would never bring harm to him on purpose. You have to believe that.
TRUTH
I nodded, I didnt believe that the Khans people would fire on him without reason. He was too beloved or feared for most to consider it. That didnt an that there wasnt a reason to investigate though, there were always possibilities of betrayals or lies, or any miscommunications and all of those things couldve happened independently or through outside interference, I had to determine what the case was either way.
Not a single man or woman was noted as lying by my ability, and all of them had professions like Soldier, chanic, or in one case Farr, nothing that would allow them to avoid my Lie Detector Ability. When the stream of people ended, I left my makeshift interrogation room, and approached the mber of the honor guard the Khan had assigned to .
Was this everyone? I asked.
He nodded. Everyone who didnt die during the attack or siege.
I nodded, Id asked the sa question of those who Id interviewed to make sure no-one had avoided questioning, and they all stated that everyone living was in the queue waiting to speak with .
I stood there, thinking. The voice was the key, whoever had given the order was the person I needed to talk to, but no one had given the order, at least not according to my lie detector. That wasnt the end all be all though, I already knew that it had several weaknesses. Agents like Leah could ignore it, as could I with my Marshal abilities. So individuals with strange physical readings were also difficult for the ability to read, like Graves and the First. I needed to look into other avenues.
I looked back to the guard. The bullet, the one that struck the Khan. Has whats left of it been saved? I asked.
He looked taken aback. Id have to ask.
I nodded. Do that, and then round everyone up again along with all of their guns. If I could narrow down who had fired the shot that actually struck the Khan, it may help to narrow my search, or even find the exact culprit. Perhaps soone had used the cover of a false order to make their play to kill the Khan themselves. Even if the exercise proved fruitless, it may create enough pressure to flush sothing out.
After a few monts the Guard returned. The bullet was preserved, it was found lodged in the Khans car, and placed next to the tool that removed it during repair and the n and their guns are being assembled again. He paused. Can I ask
I want to see if we can figure out which gun hard the Khan by matching the bullet to the gun it ca from.
The guard looked surprised. Ive never heard of any such thing, thats sothing you can do? he asked.
I shook my head. Absolutely not. Im not even sure if its possible. If it is though, I know who would be able to do it.
Bill, who Id never known to be phased by anything, was maintaining that streak behind a neutral, almost bored expression as he was escorted into dina by several of the Khans personal guards. Bills nephew, who now that I wasnt in Murphys I had no na for, looked so mixture of excited and scared, neither reaction I could bla him for. Bill stepped out of the vehicle slowly and carefully, as if it was just another day, and then walked at an even pace toward where I was waiting for him. His nephew leapt out of his seat so quickly he nearly tripped, and began a kind of stuttering stop/start as he caught up with his uncle, but clearly felt like he needed to be walking behind him, and so forced himself to stop moving, then sped back up the second he could.
When Bill reached he didnt bother with any hellos or acknowledgents, he just said. I dont like to be away from my shop.
Sorry Bill. Did they offer to pay you like I asked?
He nodded. We haggled.
One of the Khans honor guard shook his head with a look of sha on his face. Ill never get those points back. I heard him mutter.
What uh, what did you need us for? asked Bills nephew.
Lets say that I gave you a bullet that was fired from a gun. Would you be able to determine what gun fired it? If you had access to it?
Bills nephew spoke first. I uh Im not sure.
Bill rubbed the stubble on his face for a mont, took his dark glasses off and polished them with his shirt sleeve for a mont. Show the goods.
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