Computer technician Landers, stood anxiously waiting outside the lead analyst's office. He always felt nervous these days. He did not have good news. Another five million credits had disappeared and there was no indication how it had been appropriated. None of the security systems seemed to have been triggered. It had just vanished without a trace. This was the kind of mystery which was not appreciated at the Central Federation Banking Complex.
Out of the corner of his eye, Landis spied a security camera. He didn't dare look at it. It was never healthy to show any interest in security measures. They might send him for a not-so-routine assessment. The regular assessments they had to undergo working for the Federation Banking Cartel were already nerve wracking enough.
Landers wondered how it would be to work without being in fear of being watched. He quickly suppressed the thought. Entertaining such ideas might cause a shift in his thinking that would show up on an assessment. That was the last thing he needed.
He had always secretly admired people who were not afraid to speak their minds. Landers had only personally ever seen one person like that; a senior systems engineer who worked in areas he was never allowed near. The man had been tolerated because of his brilliance. Landers never did know the man's name but one day the man had just disappeared.
There had been a huge security presence in the weeks afterwards. Lots of not-so-routine assessments carried out by people from Central Security. They seemed to be afraid of this man. A massive manhunt was carried out in the days afterwards which produced nothing.
Landers had kept his head down and tried to look busy. He tried to tell them everything they wanted to hear in the assessments. That had been a mistake. It had made the ultra-paranoid Central Security investigators suspect him instantly.
It was the only time he had been afraid for his life.
Central Security computer security specialists had spent weeks examining and redesigning the security measures.
After awhile things had quieted down. The Security people left.
Later there were rumours that the senior systems engineer who had sparked the manhunt had been trying to undermine the entire Federation Banking System. There was never any proof though; they were only rumours told in private. The Central Security people would have erased all traces before they left.
Landers had tried to be the model citizen after that. The experience had taught him that no one ever defied the Federation without paying the penalty.
Some days, Landers wondered what happened to the mysterious systems engineer. Some days he wished the man had succeeded. Some days when he saw things which were not right, he wished he had the same courage to speak out. He usually quickly suppressed such thoughts though.
But some days, he did wonder.
Landers shook his head. He wondered why he sometimes found himself thinking such dangerous thoughts. He should know better.
There was a more practical problem to apply his mind to now. He hoped he could solve the mystery of the missing millions before the next assessment determined he needed some retraining therapy.