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Chapter 27
Ambassador Taylor was in deep conversation with Lord Protector Gnarff in the security bay of the Federation Criuiser Thallaxapod.
"Lord Protector, I thought that before your ship departed you would be keen to see how we are dealing with the accused. I completely agree with you that it is no-one's interests to bring this group to trial just yet. To do so would perhaps disrupt the foundation of the new colony. Even with a secure hearing it is possible that word would leak out and alert the others that you will be seeking to arrest. I came to the conclusion that the best course was for me to sign a stasis order for each of them. We can review it once the colony is fully operational and once you have completed any further investigations that seem necessary."
"Excellent Ambassador," Gnarff beamed with approval. "Are you confident that stasis technology will provide a reliable way of containing them?"
"Oh, yes. That is why I asked you here. I thought that you would be keen to see how we had implemented the stasis orders." Taylor beckoned Gnarff forward as Federation troopers swung open two heavy doors.
Inside the next room the lighting was dim lit but along each wall it was possible to make out the rows of stasis tanks. The clear, cylinders, two metres tall and half a metre wide, were each just large enough to hold one humanoid. Above each blinked a pair of lights, one amber, one green.
Gnarff peered into the room with interest. "I can see that the Federation has some advanced technology here. How does it differ from the hibernation systems we are using for the Sol3a women? We have found the hibernation system provides an effective mechanism and we can administer it on a wide scale as you have seen. This is obviously much more difficult to scale up."
Taylor warmed to his subject, keen to be able to inform Gnarff of the Federations innovations in the field. "Yes that's true. The main differences as I understand it are that your hibernation approach renders the subject unconscious and unaware of passing time whereas here the subject is completely conscious and aware of time but is unable to act."
"Intriguing, an appropriate approach when used as a means of punitive detention."
"That was one of the reasons behind the development. It means we can detain an offender for a year but they experience a detention of 5 times that length. It saves our resources and you can be assured it has acted as a considerable deterrent. However, these detainees have not been found guilty of any crime yet. There are other reasons for using stasis in this case. Here we can revive the subjects and re-apply the stasis field without significant neurological or physical effect – that is essential if we wish to interrogate the subject on a regular basis as we will no doubt need to."
"Ah, I see," Gnarff approved. "That is certainly not possible using our hibernation methods.
"And of course we can apply a stasis field for much longer than current hibernation techniques. What would you expect as a safe maximum for your hibernation approach?"
Gnarff looked thoughtful. "Perhaps 12 months, maybe 15 months, no more."
"Well these tubes are rated at up to 5 years. It is a far more practical solution for this type of problem - I would not be surprised if the investigations took some time."
Gnarff peered closely at the tubes. Those that were occupied were illuminated by a pale light that fluoresced slightly on the gelatinous medium inside them. In each the occupant, naked and motionless, hung suspended by the gel.
In the nearest tube Mead floated, her feet perhaps six inches above the bottom of the tube, her arms hanging limply at her side, her white hair slicked back against her head and held in a pony tail that streamed away behind her.
"Can you see how they are maintained, Protector?" Taylor asked, before leaping on to explain. "The mask delivers the low levels of oxygen needed and removes carbon dioxide, obviously. The catheters to the arms provide nutrition and the stasis drugs. They also manage excretion functions. The gel provides a low sensitivity temperature controlled environment and the electrical leads allow us to monitor vital functions much as in any hibernaculum. They also let us initiate the wake/sleep cycles."
Gnarff turned back towards Taylor. "And thinking of the need for interrogation; how often can you cycle a subject?"
"These tubes are rated for 40 cycles per individual session. After that there needs to be a minimum of six months between sessions but then the cycles can be repeated. We have some developments that can provide around double the number of cycles but there is an increased risk of memory impairment with each additional cycle. That would be a definite drawback for subjects such as these. I imagine we will wish to interview them repeatedly and will be looking for high levels of recall about their alleged conspiracy."
"Hmm?" Gnarff seemed distracted. "Oh, yes of course. I am sure you will be most thorough. We expect to gain corroborative evidence from other sources, though."
Kelli and Shana were in the two tanks next to Mead. As Gnarff looked at them Kelli gave a shudder and Shana twitched in response. After a moment the two women were still once again. Gnarff looked surprised. "What causes that?"
"We're not sure. It's not been observed in the others. They are aware of some of what is happening around them, of course. It may be some neurological response. It's also been suggested that there is some psychic interaction. The gel serves to reduce sound and visual inputs to the subject but there is a possibility that it may amplify mind reading propensities."
"Ah, interesting. They were both strong psychic emitters as you know. Still to return to your point regarding the interrogation of these subjects….."
"Yes. Well I propose that we should use our intelligence division, I think that the issues involved are too important to be left to our normal policing officers. After all, if proven, the acts of these women threatened the cooperation between Forgwin and the Federation. We cannot be too careful where the threat from Aliansis is concerned."
"No indeed, Ambassador. I agree with your approach. In the mean time I intend to pursue further proof at what appears to be the heart of this problem."
