Burke’s voice was smooth as velvet. “Understood, Captain. I’m just going to deal with facts.”

She swiveled her chair toward Halak. “You say you went to see a woman named Dalal?”

Halak’s black eyes were wary. “Yes.”

“On Gemini Street?”

“That’s right. I said that before.”

“Yes, I know, and that’s what puzzles me, Commander.” Burke inclined her head toward Sivek; the Vulcan hadn’t said one word thus far. “Puzzles us,actually. You see, we checked out the name and the address you provided. Commander,” Burke used his title almost regretfully, “there is no such woman. There isn’t now, and there never has been.”

Garrett started. “What?”

Alarmed, Halak sat bolt upright. “What are you talking about?”

Burke was unruffled. “Precisely what I just said, Commander. There is no Dalal. She’s a story you made up to cover your real motive for visiting Farius Prime.”

“No,” said Halak, half-rising from his seat, “no! That’s not true!”

Burke looked at Halak askance. “You really aren’t in a position to be telling me about truth, Commander.”

“Burke! No, Halak.” Garrett put out a hand as if to restrain her first officer even though she couldn’t touch him. “Sit. Down. Now.”

“But, Captain…”

“Am I speaking Klingon?” Garrett flared. “I said, sit down and be quiet, mister!”

She flashed an angry look at Burke. “Burke, I warned you. I won’t have you inciting my officers. If this is a crazy theory…”

Sivek interrupted, but he did it so smoothly, his interruption sounded as if it had been by invitation. “It’s not theory, Captain. I have verified Lieutenant Burke’s information through the V’Shar. Dalal does not now, nor has she ever existed. She is a convenient, though necessary, fabrication.”

“That’s crap!”Stern said. “You heard the man! I toldyou I found evidence that he’d been patched up! What, you think Halak bandaged himself?”

“Doctor,” said Sivek, and if Garrett hadn’t known better, she’d have thought the Vulcan purred. “The fact that Commander Halak’s wounds were tended to is not in dispute. It’s obvious that they were. But it does not logically follow that the person who treated Commander Halak was in fact the woman he claims.”

“And you have a different theory?” asked Garrett.

“We do,” said Burke. “Captain, I think that if you’ll allow me some free rein here, a little leeway, I’ll be able to shed some light on any nagging issues that remain.”

“Go. Make it good, Burke.”

Burke scraped back her chair and stood. Crossing her arms, she approached Halak. “Commander, I just told you that this woman Dalal doesn’t exist. We checked it out.”

“Then they did something to her,” said Halak. The color in his face had drained away until his eyes looked painted on. “They did something.”

“They, Commander? What theyare you referring to?”

Halak made a nondescript move of his hand. “I don’t know. Just an expression. But she lived there. She was there.”

“Perhaps.” Burke injected just enough skepticism into her tone so it was clear she didn’t believe a word. “But let’s leave Dalal aside for a second, all right? I want to focus on something else, something earlier in your career. Let’s talk about the Ryns, Commander.”

“The Ryns?” Halak’s voice registered his surprise, and Garrett saw his eyes shutter, his face close, like containment doors slamming down during a warp core breach. “What do the Ryns have to do with anything?”

“A great deal, I think. After your Ryn mission, you were removed from the Barker,weren’t you?”

“No,” said Halak. “I requesteda transfer. Captain Connors agreed with my reasons.”

“And those were?”

“Captain Connors understood that some of the crew might look at me differently.”

“And why would that be?”

Halak flushed a deep crimson. “I think it’s all in the record, Lieutenant.”

“Yes. Why don’t tell us again anyway?”

“Because of my actions in the space around Ryn III, two of my crewmates died. If you’ve read my record, then you know that a formal inquiry was held and I was cleared of any culpability. Still, I was the first officer. Those men died on my watch. I would have died, too, but I didn’t. I knew that it would be hard for some of the crew to work well with me, given the circumstances.”

“Pardon me for seeming flip or naïve,” said Burke, “but if you were cleared, Commander, why did you think you had to leave? People dodie in the course of their duties. It’s always regrettable when this happens, but still their deaths weren’t your fault.” She paused, probably for effect. “Were they?”

Halak’s jaw firmed. “No. But just because I know that intellectuallydoesn’t mean that others might not view it that way. I had my reasons for wanting a transfer. Captain Connors agreed with them.”

“Well, wedon’t know what they were. Why don’t you tell us?”

Garrett said, “This is going somewhere, Burke.” Not asking.

“Yes, Captain, it is.”

“Well, instead of beating around the bush, why don’t you tie it up for me?”

“Of course, Captain. The tie-in is this: red ice.”

“Red ice?” Garrett scowled. “I’m not following you, Lieutenant.”

“Captain, we all know that both the Orion Syndicate and the Asfar Qatala are vying for control of distribution of red ice. We know that both crime syndicates are based on Farius Prime. It is also a fact that Commander Halak’s ostensible mission to Ryn III was to make contact with a middleman for the Orion Syndicate.”

“Captain,” said Halak.

Garrett held up a hand to stop him. “Burke, you’re not telling me something I don’t already know. This is a command concern. I knew about this when Halak requested a transfer; I knew about his mission to Ryn III, and I knew he’d been asked to investigate red ice distribution. So just what, exactly, are you suggesting? That Commander Halak’s previous encounter with the Ryns explains this? Ties in?”

Burke clasped her hands together. “Yes. Commander Halak’s primary goal was not to visit some old family friend. She’s another lie in a string of lies. But red ice is real, and I believe that Commander Halak did his job on Ryn III very well. I believe that he made contact with the Orion Syndicate on Ryn III; that he made a deal….”

Halak was up and out of his seat. “That’s not true!” He brought his fist down on the table. “That is nottrue!”

Burke talked over him. “And that Commander Halak’s involvement became known to the Asfar Qatala, and they moved to eliminate the competition.”

“That’s a lie!I’ve made my report,” Halak said. “I had nothing more to do with the Syndicate once I left Ryn III! Whatever you think you’ve found, it’s all a lie! It’s a plantand…!” His mouth clamped shut, as if he’d realized he made a mistake.

“A plant?” Burke leveled her brown gaze. “How do you know I’ve foundanything, Commander?”

“I…I don’t know. I just said that. I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.”

“Halak,” said Garrett. She didn’t know where this was going, but she knew, instinctively, there was more here than Halak was at liberty to say. Or defend against. No matter what his guilt—no matter if she believed in him or not—she had to keep him from making things worse. “Halak, stop.”

“Commander,” said Tyvan. “Listen to the captain. You need…”

“Don’t tell me what I need!” Halak’s face contorted with fury. “You’re not the one she’s accusing. You don’t knowwhat I need!”

“Well, I doknow!” Garrett’s voice was like the snap of a whip. “Settle down, mister! That’s an order!”

“Captain,” Halak began. He stopped, closed his eyes. He gripped the edge of the table so hard, his knuckles turned white. “Captain, please.You’re going to sit there and listen to her lies?”

“As opposed to yours? Have you given us any choice, Halak?”