Martian Dawn

Part 4, Chapter 7: No Comment

"Ummm....," Dawn began, but didn't know where to go from there. "Um.... thank you... for the offer, and its not like I haven't... but I'm not sure that's the right way to handle it."

"What is right way?" Magda asked. "On Mars? Shall we leave it to police to arrest the culprit and give him a fair and timely trial? Shall we appoint an attorney or let him hire his own? If found guilty, shall we throw him in prison? Mars has none of these things. We must not only investigate by ourselves, using our own skills and equipment, but we must also punish crime in same way."

The four of them contemplated her words.

"For now," Dawn finally said, as she got dressed. "I'm begging all of you to keep it quiet. I just want to know who and why. These other questions can wait, please." She opened the door to leave, and a microphone was thrust into her face.

"Dawn Heinke, what do you have to say about the allegations of rape and attempted murder coming from Waystation One?" Jimmy Rodriguez, the reporter from the Aguila, shouted, A video camera pointed at Dawn's face from over Jimmy's shoulder.

Dawn froze.

Mom shouldered her way in front of Dawn. "I am unaware of any such allegations," Mom said.

"You claim you're not aware that Emilio Santiago-Cervantes and Daniel Small have barricaded themselves in opposite ends of Waystation One, that both have accused the other of rape, and that each was overheard threatening to kill the other? Nor finally, that each is now requesting rescue, out of supposed fear for their lives?"

"Sorry Jimmy," said Michael, striding down the corridor and forcing his way into the middle of the confrontation. "This is an ongoing investigation, and none of these people can legally comment."

Dawn was dismayed to see that Michael was flanked by Finn and her father, covering him like bodyguards --or thugs in a movie.

"I see," said Jimmy, "And Mr. Barrett, who will be heading up this investigation? Do you have someone qualified and unbiased to examine all the evidence?"

"We're working on identifying someone. I'm afraid that's all I can say at this time."

"Will your investigator be affiliated with the Colonial or Aguilero factions?"

"JIMMY!" Aguilar bellowed, walking down the corridor to join the fray. "Go away. Now."

The cameraman dropped his camera into his satchel and Jimmy walked away without another word.

After he was gone, Michael rounded on Aguilar. "Can you control your dog?"

Aguilar looked ready to take offense, but suddenly deflated. "Legally, everything he records on Mars or aboard the Aguila belongs to me, but this particular story might just be juicy enough to persuade him to say to hell with the lawsuit."

He held up a small piece of electronics for them to see. "My quarters are infested with these. Is there a room in which we can talk and be fairly certain it is free of infestation?"

Michael raised his eyebrows and caught Dawn's mom's eye. She nodded and turned on her heals, and purposefully walked away, to Dawn's mystification.

"Follow me, please," Michael said. Aguilar paced Michael. Finn and her father fell in protectively on either side of Dawn. Magda and the doctor brought up the rear.

Michael led the way to the old mess hall, which was rarely used anymore. He held his finger to his lips as they sat down.

They waited.

Dawn's mom came in, holding what appeared to be a radio with a long, handheld antenna. She motioned for each of them to stand up and hold their arms out. She passed the antenna over their bodies, one after the other. It crackled, lightly. She then walked slowly around the room, waving the antenna under the tables, over the fixtures, around the door frames. Dawn watched the whole procedure in astonishment.