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and resources to do it. It s a matter of Authority security.
At that moment, her assistant looked more uncomfortable than she had ever seen him.
I ll take full responsibility, she continued. If there s any fallout, I ll see to it that you are completely
absolved of any liability.
Still, he hesitated. A matter of Authority security, you said?
She nodded. Utmost importance. Questions of life and death.
Pandusky took a long, deep breath, didn t smile, and muttered, Give me twenty minutes.
He was back in fifteen. Matter-of-factly, he dumped the hard copy on her desk. Will there be anything
else, Administrator?
She was already poring over the report. It was not extensive. Not for now, Sanuel. I ll let you know.
Nodding, he watched her read for a moment, then retreated gratefully from the room.
It did not take long to find what she was looking for. There were half a dozen suspicious transfers of
credit. None was large enough to stand out, but they were all of approximately the same amount and in
each instance the transfers into Case s account had taken place on consecutive days. One large payment
broken up into several smaller ones to avoid drawing attention, she surmised. There was no proof that
was the case, but it was not an unreasonable assumption. Particularly since every one of the suspect
transfers was from a company called Poutukaa. She knew the name. It was part of her job to be at least
cursorily familiar with such things.
Poutukaa was owned and operated by Sakuntala.
On the surface, there was nothing shady about the company. It dabbled in food processing and supply
as well as the transshipment of goods among towns and villages. It might be involved in other enterprises
as well; she couldn t remember. The key question was why and for what service was it paying Sethwyn
Case substantial amounts of credit.
She ordered Poutukaa s confidential financial records accessed. With a look of reluctance and a sigh of
distress, Pandusky went to work.
Geladu-tiv arrived in her office later that afternoon, escorted by two peaceforcers. She had the heavily
armed soldiers remain, flanking the door to her outer office. The Sakuntala elder did not look happy. His
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tongue kept lolling out of one side of his mouth, and his tail would not be still. The strappings he wore
were among the fanciest she had seen, an opulent mix of traditional weave, embossing, and engraving
work that alternated with contemporary highlights.
She said as much. Poutukaa must be doing well for its Hata to afford such costly raiment. I applaud
your enterprise. You are proof that the Deyzara are not the only ones who can succeed in doing
commerce with the business entities of the Commonwealth.
Hauled off under armed guard to the office of the Authority administrator, the last thing the senior
Sakuntala had expected was to be greeted with a compliment.
Hauea, we do well enough. He was trying very hard not to turn to look at the guards, who had their
protective face shields down and their weapons at the ready. Administrator Matthias, why have I been
brought here? I a simple businessperson, just as you have declared.
Businessperson I have no doubt. Simple that is another matter. She indicated a thick pile of hard
copy on her desk. I have been reviewing your company records for the past year.
Geladu-tiv looked startled. You not permitted to do such a thing.
On your way out you may request the proper form for filing an official complaint. She made a show of
shuffling through the hard copy. There are a lot of payments here to small groups and organizations that I
am informed are active participants in the current troubles.
As per prior instructions, one of the peaceforcers moved forward until he was standing close behind the
Sakuntala senior. Very close. Threat by implication would be difficult to prove. Had a Church padre
been present, he or she would have protested vociferously. But no United Church presence hovered
over the little tableau that was being played out in her office.
Geladu-tiv struggled not to turn and meet the eyes of the very tall peaceforcer. Poutukaa is a respected
clan-based Sakuntala operation. It is no hotbed of radicals.
I believe you. She indicated the hard copy. However, Poutukaa is guilty of providing financing and
support to factions that are.
To work profitably among Sakuntala is necessary to have good relations with all clans and groups.
Sometimes payments necessary to buy not just goods but goodwill. That not a crime. He hesitated, not
entirely certain of the relevant bit of Commonwealth law. Is it?
No, it s not. His relief was palpable. Anyway, I m not interested in your company s political activities.
That s your business.
Now the senior appeared genuinely bewildered. Then why I here? What you want from me?
She extracted one piece of hard copy from the pile and pushed it toward him. He glanced down at it
without making a move to pick it up, as if it were a lurking bai-mou just waiting to leap at his throat.
On the dates specified, you made a number of sizable payments to a human named Sethwyn Case.
One did not become the head of a successful company operated and owned by Sakuntala without
possessing at least a degree of shrewdness. I cannot verify that without first check with company
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fiduciary.
For now, take my word for it.
Having yet to be openly accused of breaking a law, the Sakuntala entrepreneur was starting to feel a
little better about things. Is also not illegal?
No. She stared hard at the senior. All I want to know is, what were these payments made for? What
services did the bioprospector Sethwyn Case render to the company Poutukaa to be worthy of all this
credit? You didn t pay him inmulat . [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] - zanotowane.pl
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