progress here unless you tell us why you're asking all these questions.'
Sabre's high cheekbones went scarlet. 'Meaning you have information but won't give it to me?'
'Meaning I'm as concerned about Dorland's safety as you are,' Paul snapped. 'If I knew what you're looking for, maybe I could help.' Sabre stared at him.
'Have it your way.' Paul stood up. 'Let's go, Dorland.'
Sabre reached for the attache case and popped open the clasp at each end.
'I want to show you something.' He reached into the case, brought out a small black gun and held it up for Paul to see. 'Do you know about weapons, Mr. Jurick?'
'A little.' He looked closer. 'I know where you got that one.'
Sabre nodded. 'Our friend Bekman.' He returned the gun to the attache case. 'It's a laser pistol. Very effective. You're both lucky to be alive.'
'I accept that,' Paul said, still standing. 'But what's your point?'
'This type of gun was at one time used by Guard personnel. They called it a burp gun because of the sound the chamber's cooling mechanism makes.' Paul didn't remember seeing a gun like that when he was in Guard training, and the term was not familiar to him. But he'd left the Guard years ago, and he knew they were always trying out new weapons.
'So Bekman used to be in the Guard,' he said.
'That should help you identify him.'
'I don't think so. The Guard stopped using laser pistols almost two hundred years ago.' 36
CLARION
William Greenleaf
37
It took a moment for the meaning to sink in. Paul sat down and nodded toward the attache case.
'That gun is two hundred years old?'
'Correct. Quite a collector's piece, in fact.' Sabre's eyes remained on Paul a moment longer, then moved to Dorland. When he spoke again, it was obvious he was choosing his words carefully. 'I hope you appreciate the significance of that, Mr. Avery. We want to find out why Bekman tried to kill you. We think he may have been an agent of a political faction that is not friendly to UNSA.'
'The Fringe Alliance?' Paul asked. He could think of only one political faction that would be important enough to rate the attention of the Omega Security Director. But that didn't make sense—the Alliance was well armed with modern weapons. Its agent wouldn't be using a twohundred-year-old laser gun.
'The Alliance is involved,' Sabre admitted. His eyes were still on Dorland. Then he cleared his throat, leaned back in his chair and abruptly changed the subject. 'Mr. Avery, we've checked our records and we find that we're missing a few pertinent details about your background. Would you mind telling me where you were born?' Dorland answered without hesitation, as if he had been expecting the question. 'Giant Forest. It's a planet in the—'
'I know where it is,' Sabre interrupted. 'Why isn't your birth recorded in SoSec records?'
'Giant Forest is a backwater planet. They've never been careful about keeping records.'
'Have you ever been to a planet called Clarion?' Paul felt himself flinch inside. Selmer Ogram's words came back to him: Sabastian wants you to come home. Ogram had been referring to a planet called Clarion.
'I travel a great deal,' Dorland answered. 'I can't remember every planet I've been to.'
'Does the name Alban Brill mean anything to you?'
High Elder Brill, Ogram had said. Paul stared at Dorland.
'Should it?' Dorland asked.
