Page 29 - Unlikely Stories 3

Gaea Omphalos

crucial to the success of the mission? Perhaps a topic for further
research when I return to terra firma. My fingers were itching to get
back into the computers here, but I dared not tempt fate. And I had
no opportunity, anyway. My time is running out, and the most likely
place to get answers is Foucault’s area—I’m sure of it, now: too many
odd things going on there. I just hate to confront him again. His
suspicions have been aroused, and I would just as soon they were
allayed—at least until I can complete my investigation. Tonight I’m
going to sneak into his assistants’ living quarters on the pretext of
needing something personal and feminine, conveniently forgetting
the rules on where I can go and when. Maybe they will reveal
something of interest in a more intimate setting.

March 24: My handwriting has gone to hell. No time to write in code.
I shouldn’t be shaking so much, after all the training I’ve had. Well,
my cover is probably blown after last night, and I might not make it
alive back to the surface to make this report. So I’m going to leave
this notebook where Dr. Klopperman will find it—I hope. Foucault
will see to it that I get no more interviews with anyone here, Si
included. So, sorry we couldn’t meet again under happier
circumstances, Si, but you must understand that I am not a journalist
and that I had to use you to get some very necessary information.
The government sent me down here to check on this project: a lot of
irregularities in the reporting, both scientific and financial, have been
noted by more than one overseeing body. No more need be said on
that subject. In a few minutes I’m due to leave the Aquadome, and
the possibilities for sabotage of my transport are numerous, indeed.

Let me just jot down what I learned last night. It may all be a
fantastic story, a red herring to draw me away from embezzlement or
espionage, but here goes: I did gain entry to the women’s staff private
rooms. Meg let me into their sitting room. Tish and Alexa were in
their separate bedrooms, but they came in immediately. They were
very surprised to see me, and not pleasantly. I started to give them a
tale of menstrual cramps and nausea, when I noticed that funny smell
of incense again. One of the bedroom doors was open a tiny crack.
The odor came from in there, and I could see something metallic and
shiny inside, definitely not standard-issue furnishings. I feigned an
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