“Yeah,” Ashton grumbled, face closing in a scowl. “I just thought you were different.”
“I am. Look at me, son,” Carter demanded, pointing at his hair, as Ashton continued to mutter under his breath. “See all this white on top? See the crow’s feet, the frown lines? Where do you think I got all that white hair, dammit? I’m not that old! Why do you think, at my age, I haven’t gone farther up the ranks? Why do you think I choose this job over some fancier one, with a more important-sounding title? It’s so I can keep the newbies, the ones like you, safe! I’m not so far from retirement, Nick; maybe a decade, decade an’ a half, out. I could go ahead and take early retirement and be done. And as sick as I am of this shit, if I can get you safely where you need to be, I probably will. Listen: do you know who Stash Gorecki is, Nick?”
“Oh damn. Yeah,” Ashton said, growing quiet.
“Do you know he came to see me this afternoon, to find out why you solved the case? Asking for you by name?”
“Uh. No, I hadn’t heard. That’s…not good news.”
“No, it isn’t. I managed to divert him and send him off on a different track, but it was hard. As soon as I saw the report, I started setting my ducks in order for this, or I wouldn’t have managed to divert him at all. And you might well be dead already.”
“Um…thanks, Captain?”
“You’re damn straight,” Carter said, stern. “And that is why you’re going on detached duty to the Imperial City Police Department. You’re lucky, as it is, that I got you away from the office before Stash got here! If I hadn’t sent you off on that courier duty, I’d have had to stand here and watch, pretending to approve, while he beat you senseless…if not outright killed you. Listen close, and remember what I’m about to tell you, or you’re a dead man walking: You stumbled across the solution to the theft because the perp pulled a cocky, stupid stunt – which, to be honest, he did, so that works in our favor – and you’re still too green to realize what you were supposed to do. And,” Carter added, thinking about phrasing, “no word came down to the beat cops about it, so you didn’t have any instructions beforehand. So you’re going offworld to Pritani for ‘training.’ There’s an old pal of mine, a retired detective outta HQ there who does training – not really, but it works for our purposes now – really strict, and I want you to work under him, so that when you come back, you’ll have sense enough to see what you’re supposed to see…and then I’ll shape you up to doing what you’re supposed to do. That’s the official story. Got it?”
“Yeah.”
“What?”
“Um. Sorry. Yes, sir. I’m…” Ashton paused. “It’s a lot to take in, sir. But I’m trying hard.”
“Good. ‘Cause what’s really gonna happen is, I’m sending you over to Imp City’s force. ICPD has some excellent detectives, and you’ll get trained right, over there, without all of this ‘do only what we tell you’ shit.”
“Yes, sir, I understand, and I’ll remember it. But if I’m over at ICPD, how…?” Ashton began, confused. “I mean, well…how’s that any different?”
“Because it’s a separate organization, reporting to a different part of the hierarchy, and they work much closer to the Imperial Guard and the Empress’s staff,” Carter explained. “They’re straight and they’re clean. You’ll fit in there, and be happy. If you’re smart, you’ll make it a permanent transfer. In the larger scheme of things, you’ll still be in the overall organization, but it’ll suit your personal morals much better. So let me suggest it, in the strongest possible terms: transfer.” He paused, then added, “Oh, and while I’m thinking about it, I know Stone transferred out this morning…”
“Yes, sir.”
“Were you planning to move your living space?”
“I was, sir. In fact, I’m almost done. I just have to move a couple last things, fill out the change of address paperwork and leave it with you, and it’s finished.”
“Do it. Tonight. As fast as you can get it done. Do not – repeat, do not – leave a forwarding address with anybody, because according to the story I’ve set up, you’re going offworld anyway. And once you’ve got your stuff in the new place? Do. Not. Go. Back. For anything. So make sure you get it all on the first go.”
“Yes, sir.” Ashton paused, trying to gather his wits. And thank God I hadn’t shown it to Tabby yet, he thought. As busy as we’ve been, I don’t think I’d even mentioned it. She probably expected me to ask her to move in once Pete was gone. Then he brought himself back to the present and tried, “Um, sir, when…? The transfer…?”
“Effective immediately,” Carter ordered. “I want you out of here as fast as we can get you out. I got the paperwork ready – and hidden – around prepping for Gorecki’s visit. Go clear your locker right now, and report straight to ICPD headquarters. You’ll be interviewing with one Colonel Maia Peterson, Deputy Chief of Investigations.”
“But…”
“Don’t worry about looking like you went offworld. Peterson is an old friend, and she’s taking care of that for us over at the spaceport, with some of her people. Just go, and try to stay out of sight. Throw your off-duty clothes on until you get there.”
“…Yes, sir.”
Ashton rose, a hangdog expression on his face, and Carter came around his desk to
