Cobra Slave-eARC by Timothy Zahn Page B

she knew, false friendship was the next most promising tactic.
    “Sorry to drag you out of bed so early,” Santores continued, giving his eyelid one final twitch. “I trust your quarters weren’t too uncomfortable?”
    “They couldn’t have been nicer,” she assured him. “Paul and I had no idea how pleasant the Dome’s holding cells were. We’re already talking about changing next year’s vacation plans.”
    “I understand your frustration,” Santores said. “Actually, the Megalith’s brig is more comfortable, and I suspect the food is considerably better. But Governor-General Chintawa insisted you remain on the ground.”
    “I’ll be sure to take that up with him later,” Jin promised. “Was putting Paul and me together his idea, too? Or were you the one who hoped we’d spill some deep, dark secrets in a bugged cell?”
    Santores shrugged. “You’d be surprised how many people equate solitude with privacy,” he said without embarrassment. “Not on a conscious level, of course—people aren’t that gullible. But on an emotional level many still can’t resist the chance to compare notes or seek solace.”
    “Well, you obviously didn’t bring me here for solace,” Jin said. “Does that mean you want to compare notes?”
    “I have no interest in your notes, Cobra Broom,” he assured her. “But as a courtesy, and in recognition of your service during the recent Troft incursion, I thought I’d offer you a brief look at mine.”
    Jin felt her eyes narrow. “I’m listening,” she said cautiously.
    “Here’s what’s about to happen,” Santores said. “Later today, your son Lorne is going to do something foolish. He’ll either attack a member of my crew, allow a member of my crew to be harmed, or defy a direct order by that same crewman. When that happens—”
    “My son would never disobey a legal order.”
    “When that happens,” Santores continued emotionlessly, “he’ll have broken Dominion law, and we’ll be able to bring him up on Dominion charges. Chintawa will resist, but he’ll have no choice but to release him into our custody.”
    “And what do you expect that to gain you?”
    Santores pursed his lips. “There’s a device aboard the Algonquin called the MindsEye,” he said. “For various legal and political reasons it’s under the control of Captain Lij Tulu.” A grim smile touched his lips. “And the captain is very eager to use it.”
    Jin forced herself to relax. Even the name of the device was sending chills up her back. “You going to tell me what it does? Or do I have to guess?”
    “No guessing required,” Santores assured her. “The MindsEye sifts through the neural patterns and connections within the subject’s brain in an effort to reconstruct his or her visual and auditory memories.”
    Jin stared at him, her stomach tightening. “What sort of memories?”
    “All of them,” Santores said calmly. “Personal memories. Private memories. Embarrassing memories. Sometimes even legally actionable memories.”
    “And you can do this to anyone?”
    “Anyone whom the law permits us to examine. There are legal safeguards, of course.”
    “I’m sure there are,” Jin said, fighting to keep the sudden fear and anger out of her voice. And Lij Tulu wanted to use this hellish machine on her son? “What kind of state is the victim in after you’re finished with him?”
    “The subject, not the victim,” Santores corrected. “If it’s done properly and there are no complications, he walks out of the chamber in perfect health and with all his memories intact.” He shrugged. “Though depending on what the survey reveals he may face other legal problems.”
    “And if it isn’t done properly?”
    “It will be,” Santores promised. “Once he’s under official charges, we can take him to the Algonquin and take the time necessary to do the job right.”
    “Instead of rushing through it like a wrecking hammer?”
    “You’re joking, but that’s