episode 11
November 20, 2007
The Conspiracy
“How reliable is the information?” asked the ambassador, tugging lightly at his graying eyebrows. His head was still reeling with the revelation his son had just spouted. A conspiracy to undermine the upcoming peace ceremony, a plot designed to escalate the violence on Casiadin and ultimately eliminate the bulk of both civilizations. Under the veil of civilized battle, the robots would wipe each other out of existence (with some additional help at the very end) and if everything went as planned, no one would suspect the real reason behind the calamity.
“I have seen the robot-mercenaries boarding their transports on Malto, bound for the red dunes of Casiadin. I have questioned one of the men tasked with hiring the mercenaries,” Dax said.
“‘Questioned’, huh?” the ambassador smiled, knowing it stood for a something much more physical in nature, “So, from where does this plot originate? To what end?” The ambassador stood up, forgetting his coffee and cookies, needing to move, to think this through. “To what end?”
“I cannot say for certain,” Dax admitted, “the man I questioned worked for a company hired by an unknown entity – who knows how deep that hierarchy goes. To the question of motive – I have been working it out – there seems to be one glaring suspect in this. The robots on Casiadin have no real enemies, apart from one another, so this isn’t a punitive strike against them. There must be a strategic reason, a positional reason. I did a little research on the matter and this is what I found.” Dax pulled a folded document from his inner coat pocket, dropped it on the table.
The ambassador returned to the table, unfolded the paper and scanned it.
Dax continued, “The robots on Casiadin represent a roadblock to none other than our own Northern Alliance Federation Military. This is unsettling information, I know.”
The ambassador had read the damning evidence just as Dax had made the accusation. The document read:
Official Document [unclassified] – SERT-56.725/Budgetary Requests Denied
Northern Alliance Federation – Council on Planetary Affairs
subject: Budgetary Request Denied for Strategic Military Base on Casiadin
originating submitter: Northern Alliance Federation Military [Acquisitions]
Conclusion: Recent budgetary requests for funding a military base on Casiadin must be denied at this time.
Reason: The Inter-species Common Courtesy Treaty prohibits any “sizable human presence on any planet or planetoid on which a robot civilization is preexisting.” [as defined in section 45-B of the Inter-species Common Courtesy Treaty] This prohibition would, therefore, include any military base, sizable encampment, or other such established presence on Casiadin, which is specifically protected under said treaty.
[Case #64723-K, Judge Aammto Sarrtim attached]
“Circumstantial, but that’s motive,” concluded Theodor, “What about the time frame?”
Dax shook his head, “Soon. That’s all I know.”
The ambassador paced the room again, thinking.
“Father,” Dax interrupted, “I want to volunteer to meet with Prime Leader Asher in your stead. To warn him, get him to safety if need be. When this thing happens, it will be like a shifting forest fire – the leadership should be warned.”
“I agree, they should be warned, but I cannot cede my duties to any other. You are welcome to come along, Daxien, but I will be going planet-side.”
Dax knew better than to question his father’s decision. It was settled. He nodded his acceptance, and they prepared for their departure.
