The Bloody Herring by Phyllis Ann Karr

Author:Phyllis Ann Karr
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: science fiction, space opera, gilbert & sullivan, sci-fi, fantasy
ISBN: 9781479409211
Publisher: Wildside Press LLC
Published: 2014-03-25T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

The Queen of the Fairies

But it turned out there were only three G. and S. operettas with London settings. One of them—Trial by Jury—had already been adapted to Portsmouth, and another, The Yeomen of the Guard, took place several centuries earlier than most of the operettas in the series. Not that the anachronism made as much difference in Papa’s Pride as it might have made back on Old Earth, but the fact that Yeomen had been in rehearsal at the time Steve Davis was killed could ring associations and overtones Chandra would just as soon avoid for now.

The computer virus attack made that backstage tragedy seemed longer ago to Papa’s Pride than Chandra could imagine Tudor times seeming to Victorian times back on Old Earth. But if that death had any connection with the virus, they still had to find out what it was. Even more important, to the three women if not to Deuteronomy Osborne, was establishing whether and how far Bob Lozinski might share guilt for the virus or the murder or both.

“If I understand you,” said Sister Harriet, “some of the virtual characters—maybe not all, but some of them—represent people Bob knows ‘out here.’ Some people possibly appearing as more than one character. I’ve tried to make up a list, my guesses.” She handed it to Chandra. It was hand printed on a reusable film slate. Not only because computer applications were more precious just now even than usual, but also because the move back to conserving power, paper, and graphite had already been prepared for at Liftaway.

Chandra read Sister Harriet’s list:

Sir Ruthven—Bob

Mad Margaret—also Bob? Judi?

Bunthorne—Steve? and/or also Bob?

Dick Deadeye—Steve

Ruth—Barbara?

Buttercup—Barbara?

Pirate King—Pete?

Capt. Corcoran—Pete?

Dr. Daly—Pete?

Pooh-Bah—Pete?

Pitti-Sing—Judi?

Learned Judge—Deuces?

“Yes,” said Chandra, “this isn’t a bad working list. A lot of your guesses would also be mine, even though I never knew the Antique Terra people as well as you do. But I should maybe remind you that gender lines can cross between reality and virtual scenarios.”

“You’re proving that yourself, Dr. Falcon. Chandra.”

“And we’ve got a lot of question marks here.”

“Of course. It doesn’t seem likely, does it, that Pete could be all the ones I’ve got under consideration for him. The only characters I’d guess we can probably feel confident about are Bob as Sir Ruthven and poor Steve as Dick Deadeye.”

Chandra thought, And a bludgeon in the virtual version of Steve’s death. Definitely a murder, ‘in there.’ Whatever the truth of it, ‘out here.’

Sister Harriet went on, “For the rest, I went by roles they’ve either played or want to play. Barbara says she was predestined to the heavy contralto roles by being born a Cripps.”

Deuces Osborne was standing in the other side of the room, beyond Bob’s hospital bed, watching Misaki at the keyboard. Not wanting the security man to overhear her, Chandra tapped “Learned Judge—Deuces?” with the tip of her right forefinger.

“I know G. and S. better than I know psychology,” Sister Harriet murmured, “but don’t people in coma sometimes understand a lot more than we might think

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