Divergence

“What did you see?”

But Constantine wasn’t going to say. That information was for the Watcher. He went on: “Look, there was no machinery working there anymore. We spent two years doing what we could just to grow enough food to feed the colonists; it was nearly three years before I managed to get a communications antenna up.”

“And then what happened?”

Constantine looked at the slowly flexing fingers of his right hand. “Lots of things,” he murmured. “And then one day an FE ship arrived on the planet.”

“What’s the matter, Maurice?” Judy asked.

“You know, don’t you?” Maurice said.

Judy scowled. “I know? What do I know?”

“You know what he’s talking about.”

“Come on, Maurice. What’s the matter with you? You’ve been in a foul mood ever since yesterday morning.” She gave a nasty smile. “I would have thought that sleeping with Saskia would have relaxed you a little bit.”

“You are upset,” said Maurice. “Look at you, you’re arguing with me. Showing emotion, not hiding in impassivity.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” said Judy, her emotion evaporating into the wide-open space of the large hold. Saskia and Edward stood still, not wanting to interrupt. They wanted answers, too. Constantine noted the faintest suggestion of a twitch at the corner of Maurice’s eye.

“You’ve been lying to us from the very start, haven’t you, Judy? You’ve been playing with us. You see, it wasn’t until yesterday morning that I realized, not until I understood the way you manipulated Saskia into sleeping with me.”

“What?”

“Stay out of this, Saskia.”

Saskia blushed hotly. “Don’t you tell me what to do, Maurice. She didn’t manipulate me. I make my own decisions.”

Maurice threw his head back and laughed. “Oh, she lets you think that, Saskia,” he said. “We’re all doing what she wants. She’s been manipulating us ever since she came aboard this ship. She’s been putting us off guard, catching us at our most vulnerable moments, doing what she can to keep us thinking only about ourselves and to stop us thinking about her.”

A cold breeze. Suddenly a venumb was towering over Judy, swinging its headless neck back and forth, as if searching for something. How had it got so close so quickly? What was it doing? Judy didn’t seem to notice, a still black shape with a pale face.

“I was trying to help you,” she explained softly. “It’s what I do.”

Judy’s reply seemed a measured moment of calm amidst the torrent of emotions. Constantine could see that it only infuriated Maurice more.

“Hah, it’s what you did ,” Maurice corrected. “Of course you were trying to help. But you were manipulating us, too. You’re Social Care.”

Judy made no reply to this.

“Is this true?” asked Edward.

Judy was a silent china doll, black eyes glittering in a porcelain face.

“Of course it’s true, Edward.” Maurice laughed. “Social Care are experts at it. Just because she’s retired doesn’t mean she can give it up—especially when she has reasons for wanting to hide something. And she does. Come on, Judy, tell us the truth. How do you know him ?” He pointed at Constantine.

“I don’t,” Judy said, “or at least, not firsthand. But I have heard about him.”