Chapter 17

"No hard feelings, eh?" Brown said as he led T'Ves out of the Detention Centre.

Keenan and Rasmussen had also been released. With Perra in custody and under heavy guard, there was no reason to hold the others any longer. The base lockdown had also been lifted, to much joy from the residents.

"I am incapable of bearing a grudge, Commander," said T'Ves, once again a perfect picture of Vulcan stoicism. "And your suspicion of me was logical."

Brown paused in the doorway to the Security Centre and swallowed his pride. "Well, for whatever it's worth, I'm also sorry for insulting your… lifestyle."

T'Ves tipped her head. "It is often difficult for emotional individuals to accept those who have embraced their self."

Brown smirked tightly, letting the comment slide. "Truth be told, T'Ves, I understand your desire to put your past behind you… Sometimes it just weighs us down…"

He was thinking, again, of his failure at Heliopolis. Was it his urge to make up for his past that gave him his uncomfortable feeling towards the resolution of this current case? Was that why he still felt unsure about Perra as the murderer? This nagging doubt was what he wished he could release from himself, as if it were shackled to his ankles.

With T'Ves on her way, Brown returned to his office to write up his report. He didn't much feel like listening to any opera at the moment.

The blank monitor screen just stared at him, however. He couldn't compel himself to put it all into words. Something told him the picture wasn't yet complete.

Perra was suspicious, certainly, and there was no reason to believe her sob story. She was the only person who could be the murderer.

But then why remain on the planet after the kill? Why not flee and avoid any scrutiny? She must have known the base would be locked down after the body was found, and that there was a chance her true identity might be discovered.

These were only a few pieces missing from the puzzle, but they were large pieces.

His door chime broke his concentration.

"Come in," he said.

Lieutenant Sylor entered, carrying Bird's personal computer.

"Commander," said Sylor, "I have successfully broken Ms. Bird's encryption."

Brown laughed humorlessly. He was a bit late, but the computer may yet yield essential information. He beckoned to the young Vulcan.

"Bring it here, son."

Sylor opened the computer on Brown's desk, standing over him as it started up. "The most recent entry," he said, "is a partial report to Willem Abramson." He opened a text file and Brown started to read it.

It began much as Perra had said: She and Bird discussed their deal - technology in exchange for immunity - but then it said that Perra had been reluctant to expose herself publicly or relocate to Earth. Bird, in her desperation to acquire Perra's information, had threatened to expose Perra anyway, at which point the Suliban had left.

Brown leaned back in his chair and stroked his still-stubbly chin. This was the last piece of the puzzle alright: Perra's motive. So why did it still feel like it didn't quite fit together?

"Is there anything else on the computer?" he asked Sylor.

"No, sir. Other than the basic, pre-installed programs."

Brown frowned at this. He pointed at the text file. "This is the only thing on there?"

"Yes, sir." Sylor stood up to his full height and clasped his hands behind his back. "Furthermore, that was not the case yesterday."

Brown looked up at him. "What?"

"There were many work-related files on Ms. Bird's computer, including a report that indicated that her meeting with the Suliban went amicably, with Perra asking for time to consider her offer."

"And just how the hell do you know this, Lieutenant?"

"I completed my decryption yesterday," he said plainly.

Brown's head nearly exploded. "And you didn't say anything!?"

"I… thought it prudent to examine each file individually, to ensure that there was no damage from my decryption attempts."

Brown rubbed his face to stop it from scowling. Damn that strict Vulcan fastidiousness.

"You should have-" His eyes widened in realisation. "Wait a minute, are you saying someone altered the computer between yesterday and today?"

"That seems likely," said Sylor, still calm. "It is possible someone deliberately tampered with it in order to activate the self-erasure fail-safe, then planted this file to incriminate Perra. They would have assumed that, as I had not yet reported my success, the computer remained encrypted."

Brown's head reeled. This changed everything.

"Do you know who tampered with it?" he asked.

"The computer was stored in a secure locker in the science lab when I was not working on it, and there were no signs of forced entry, however-"

Just then Colonel Kostopoulos came running in the open door.

"Colonel, wait til you hear this," Brown said, eager to share the recent revelation.

"I've got one for you too," she said. "Remember the security checks you asked your staff to conduct on the area around Bird's quarters?"

Brown nodded.

"They found something."