Goddess on the mountain top
Burning like a silver flame
The summit of beauty and love
And Venus was her name
– Bananarama (Venus (Reprise))
=/\=
On Callisto, Helen Walker picked up a voice masker. It was a marvelous bit of technology whereby her voice could be disguised in practically any manner. It was used by the Perfectionists during their audio-only meetings, so as to disguise the participants, for the less you knew, the less you could tell if you were ever caught.
She sent out the signal to all. Still a bit inebriated, Dan pointed to his left ear, a signal that a call was coming in. All of the Temporal Integrity Commission employees had an implanted Communicator. You can't accidentally lose a Communicator in 1601 if it's embedded within your left ear canal. Plus, the interface directly to the brain made simultaneous translations virtually flawless.
"Uh, can I take this?" he asked Carmen.
"All right," she said. Having to keep the entire department in was bad enough. Carmen figured she'd have to concede most calls, particularly personal ones.
He departed, and made his way back to his office before acknowledging the call.
On Kronos, Marisol, too, heard the chime. "Excuse me," she said to Darragh, "I must go. You won't forget our little talk?"
"No, of course not."
Rick received a call. And so did an engineer.
"Tell you what," Kevin said, "may I suggest that we adjourn until the computers have finished compilin'?"
"Good idea," Carmen said, "dismissed."
=/\=
Call ready, Helen began to speak, "As you all probably are aware, our leader has gone into hiding. But we're not done. Not by a long shot. There will be, as per usual, a main mission and two diversions."
"There's talk at the Temporal Integrity Commission about a species coming in. They use temporal displacement and make virtually infinite copies of themselves," reported Dan, but with the masking, it was not possible to tell that it was really him.
"How very interesting," Helen replied, "perhaps we can work with these people. I'll have to think about that."
"That's not your call," said an unidentified voice. Unknown to all, it was Donald Oliver – the Perfectionist time traveler who was supposed to be succeeding her father. But things were different and he was beginning to doubt Milton's promises.
"It is," she replied, "for I have the means to send anyone wherever and whenever I please. Now, I've got a big mission and two little ones. We'll go through them of course – and when I get back, I'll see if I can make contact with that species. I suspect we'll find we have a few things in common. One hand washes the other, as it were."
"If they even have hands," Dan said under his breath.
"What was that?" she asked.
"Oh, never mind."
=/\=
Rick's call was different. "Brother dear," it was his sister, Eleanor, "I have some rather interesting news."
"News?"
"Yes, here at the museum – we seem to have something that might interest you professionally. I, well, I think it would be best if you were to see it in person."
"I'll try to come, but they're looking to keep us in most of the time," he said.
"Oh," she was a tad disappointed, "still, I don't know how long this will be here."
"I'll see what I can do. Daniels out."
=/\=
Watching it all at the Commission, outside looking in, was the colony entity, trying to determine what to do, and whether anyone could be trusted.
=/\=
Boris engaged his implanted Communicator. "Darragh Stratton, on Kronos, please."
"Yes?"
"Ah, my angel!" he said, "I am being forced to stay in. Carmen wants us to –"
"Don't you my angel me! Boris, we need to talk, and soon. I want the house," Darragh was livid.
"I cannot come over! Carmen is keeping us in."
"You mean she's keeping you in," Darragh seethed.
"Me?"
"Yes, for a little game of chase around the desk, is it? Or are you going to violate her in the courtyard garden in the middle of the Adrenaline?"
"What?!"
"Don't play coy with me, buster. I know all about it."
"And just who are you hearing these things from?" he asked, although he already knew the answer.
"I'm not at liberty to say," she then hung up on him.
Alone in his office, he stood there, lost in thought. Losing his position – a very real possibility if he got a divorce – would not be good for his career. And then there was the little matter of Marisol. She had told him she was going to see Darragh. He had known that much. And he had swallowed his fear and paranoia and had even attempted to cover for her a bit, for she was putting the screws to him and he was feeling pressure.
But she had also told him that if he did that, she would not tell Darragh anything. At least, that was how he remembered their conversation. And now Marisol had spilled it all. Her word meant nothing to him. And to implicate Carmen, a completely innocent bystander, was the very height of chutzpah.
Didn't she have any scruples at all?
Of course not, but scruples hardly matter when you're a psychopath.
Marisol was a killer and had virtually no qualms whatsoever about doing wrong or lying. The lines between lies and truth had long ago blurred and thinned, until they had finally been obliterated.
Whatever she wanted, she took. Fortunately for most others, money was gone from this stage of society, so she was generally not much of a thief. But other pieces – violence, deception and greed – those were still there. After all, a society without money, that existence, in and of itself, hardly cures anyone of being mentally unbalanced.
Much like Dan, she had certain tendencies, but they were well hidden. But unlike him – and Section 31, where he had begun his career, and begun it honestly and honorably – she had thrown in her lot with the Perfectionists rather early. And they did not care quite so much about her mental stability. They needed jobs done, and she was eminently qualified to accomplish them. What were a few lies and dead bodies among friends?
=/\=
"Grant, come with me," Rick said to Tom.
"Where are we going?"
"Carmen's office," he replied.
She let them in immediately. "Carmen, my sister says she's got something," Rick said.
"I beg your pardon?"
"My sister, Eleanor, she works at the Temporal Museum on Lafa II," Rick explained, "and she knows what I do, but no specifics. She says there is something, and I believe her."
"So far I don't think Kevin has anything on the temporal change, right?" Tom asked.
"Right," Carmen said, "I would rather you boys stayed in."
"I know," Rick said, "but she said it's something she should show me in person. And I want Tom here as a witness. Our memories aren't necessarily reliable these days. He can corroborate."
"Assuming he recalls it at all himself," Carmen pointed out. She thought for a moment. "All right, but beam out and back. No shuttle, no time ship. Report back immediately. And tell no one else. Just go."
=/\=
She's got it
Yeah, baby, she's got it
I'm your Venus, I'm your fire
At your desire
Well, I'm your Venus, I'm your fire
At your desire
– Bananarama (Venus (Reprise))