Voice by William Gee

Author:William Gee [Gee, William]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Fantasy
ISBN: 9798733725000
Amazon: B0918S9P3J
Goodreads: 57558333
Published: 2021-03-27T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Evaluation

Following Nera’s instructions, Adam arrived before an imposing door bearing Apollo Inquisition signage. It opened into an antechamber that led on to a large rectangular office. Tare was sat in that office behind an imposing wooden desk. He was fixated upon one of the wall-mounted images of people seemingly frozen in time. Every wall was adorned by these holoprojections. They totalled more than a dozen. Here a person laughed, there a person cried. By some projectionist’s trick, their collective gazes pierced Adam, as though trying to unsettle him. If there were a more horrifying embodiment of Reason’s all-encompassing surveillance, Adam had yet to see it.

‘Adam–’ began Tare, glancing away from the wall. ‘Where is your escort?’ he asked with a small frown.

‘Nera bade me give you this when you asked after her,’ replied Adam, handing the closed note to Tare. His eyebrows contracted upon reading it. ‘You read this note?’

‘No. I didn’t,’ replied Adam. He stole a quick glance at the nearby sofa.

Tare scrunched up the note and casually tossed it into his wastepaper basket. ‘Sit,’ he instructed. He picked up a letter opener and twirled it on the desk, blade down, while awaiting Adam’s compliance. ‘Tell me about your mother.’

Adam couldn’t help but smile at the cliché. It melted off his face in response to the look Tare gave him. ‘She died when I was five. Staph infection after pneumonia. She worked as a nurse, so some drug resistant pathogen likely did her in.’

‘And your father?’ Tare asked.

‘Military. Automation mechanic. Worked with hydraulics,’ answered Adam.

‘How did he react to your posting to the front?’

Adam’s eye gave a small twitch. ‘He was devastated. From his background he knew exactly what that meant. The day I returned was one of the happiest of his life.’

‘Was he angry before that?’ probed Tare.

‘How do you mean?’ Adam replied, sitting back.

‘Was he angry with Reason’s March for sending you to the front?’

‘You would have to ask him that.’

‘I imagine he would be.’

‘Anger is one of the five stages of grief,’ countered Adam. ‘As I said, he was in the military. He knew a posting to the front was a death sentence. I would hope that he was angry for a time. Why should my father interest you?’

‘Do you know what all these fanatics have in common?’ asked Tare, gesturing around at the holoprojections. ‘Anger. A deep-seated, burning hatred. Anger is a powerful motivator for treason. Perhaps the most powerful motivator. The fanatics are angry at Reason’s March. Seething. Why else would they continue to fight when it’s clear they’ve already lost.’ Tare leant back in his chair, gauging Adam’s reaction.

‘Are you implying my father’s a fanatic?’ asked Adam in a cold voice. ‘A retired veteran? A servant of Reason’s March who’s paid his dues? That’s irrational.’

Adam’s control wasn’t good, Tare noted silently. He clearly cared deeply for his father. It made him susceptible to manipulation. His poorly concealed anger was understandable, but there was something subtly off about his responses, a concealed hint of a deeper fear.

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