The Grand Game

The Investigator motioned for him to sit on his bed, taking the desk-chair for himself.

Yarhaci's mind was racing. 'Murder'? Peng Do Cheon must have been the short, square-jawed man who was the first to talk to him on his awakening, and who had been talking to him just the day before. He was dead, killed by someone, and his death was being investigated. 'As befitting someone of high status,' thought Yarhaci.

Investigating the death of key assets was well-known to Yarhaci, who had been involved in such processes as part of his duties as Field Military Adviser during some skirmishes against the Khitans, and subsequently when he was First Adviser to Commander Khulan. This familiarity was important - Yarhaci finally had a starting point from which to understand this new world.

The quotidian death of common soldiers, caused by drunken brawls or the flaring of tempers, was very different from the sudden and mysterious expiry of commanders or generals. Neophyte advisers usually expended more effort on investigating these latter occurrences because they thought that the chances of such deaths being the result of accident, passion or sudden circumstance was relatively much lower. Yarhaci did not argue with the outcome of this line of thinking (which is that more effort was enlisted to investigate 'important' deaths), but knew better the reasons for this outcome: the deaths of important personages were investigated more thoroughly because their lives were more important to the relevant organisation and their loss may signal an ongoing conspiracy. It was possibly because these deaths were more thoroughly investigated that they were therefore less likely to be attributed to accidents, passion or sudden circumstance; furthermore, the investigator in question may sometimes have to fabricate the existence of such a conspiracy lest he be suspected as well.

As far as Yarhaci knew, Peng was in the pink of health when he had visited yesterday morning. Something fishy was afoot, and the 'Authority', which Yarhaci assumed was the title of the governing personage, found Peng's death important enough to dispatch a formidable warrior to investigate.

He took a seat, suddenly noticing the intensity by which the Investigator regarded him. Yuxi seemed intimidated and Christopher stood stiffly to the side, his face hidden by an opaque visor. Although Yarhaci met the Investigator's gaze without fear, he could tell that the warrior was probably one of substantial physical and martial prowess and did not fancy the consequences of openly defying the man.

The Investigator reached into his dark coat and pulled out a device resembling the 'computer' Yuxi had given Yarhaci to aid his learning. Fingers deftly tapping on the screen, the Investigator started: "Let's get straight to business. Your identity has been sufficiently explained by Ms Chen here, but I'd like to confirm your name."

"..." Yarhaci was unsure if that was a question.

"Name?" the Investigator was already bristling in irritation.

"As I told you, Mr Kitamura, he doesn't really speak English. Only picked it up in the past week or so." Yuxi interjected meekly.

"Name, Yarhaci." stated Yarhaci simply.

Ignoring Yuxi, Kitamura continued, "At what time did Peng visit? Yes, time." The investigator pointed to the digital clock resting on the plastic desk and which was facing Yarhaci's bed, attempting to clarify his meaning.

"0800... to... 0830..."

"Would you say it was before 0830 hrs?" Kitamura pressed.

So it was! Yarhaci had taken note that it was 0812 hrs at the time that Peng visited, given that it was the first time he was called upon so early. In fact, it was probably his only break with the monotonous schedule he was subject to since his awakening.

He knew what the Investigator was up to. He would be asked a collection of questions, some of which were genuine and some of which they already had the answers to. The goal of these latter questions was to catch the interviewee in a lie, that they might properly assess the credibility of all the answers given.

Yarhaci was at a grave disadvantage here. He did not fully understand the capabilities of the technologies he was surrounded with, nor was he aware of the association between this Investigator Kitamura and Yuxi's (and probably Christopher Kariuki's) organisation. So, they must be taken to have recorded the time which Peng had met him. It followed that he was under constant surveillance, and that any semblance of privacy was a sham.

If Yarhaci lied, as he was originally inclined to do in order to distance himself as much as possible from Peng's death, he would risk coming off as mendacious. Mendacity may limit his options with the others such as Yuxi, Christopher and the Principal down the line.

Several seconds had already passed, and the Investigator was becoming impatient. Furrowing his brow, he repeated, "Come now, please answer the question. Would you say it was before 0830hrs?"

"Yes, yes. I think, 0815," Yarhaci replied.

Seemingly satisfied, Kitamura continued, "So, what did you two talk about?"

"He need me to speak."

"To speak?"

"Yes... I show... this..." Yarhaci stood and walked to his desk. From the top-most desk-drawer he took out a piece of paper, on which was written: "Hello. My name is Yahasee, and I come from Inner Mongolia. I lived and died one thousand years ago. Now I am here. I am alive. The project is a success."

The rectangular piece of paper sported fold-lines, and the name 'Yahasee' was written in blue ink above the printed name 'Mongke', which had been struck out.

Before he could return to his bed, Christopher intercepted Yarhaci and grabbed the piece of paper with a gloved hand.

"What-!"

"I must apologise, Investigator; this document contains important information - *confidential* information - regarding the research which Vice Principal Peng was engaged in." The suited man quickly kept the paper in his suit's left chest-pocket. "Given the expiry of the Project Head, full control over all research documents, in whatever form or medium through which they are expressed, falls to me as Technical Head."

"Mr Kariuki, my authorisation extends to the investigation of all related materials! Hand that over at once!" the Investigator was standing now, towering over the suited interloper. "The Authority has issued a warrant for the detention of all important evidence relating to the case. This warrant," Kitamura emphasised, taking out a small pocket-sized device and shining it on Christopher's suit, "is signed and sealed by the Governor."

'So, the illegible gibberish emitted by that device must be an indication of some importance. What does it indicate, I wonder?' thought Yarhaci, who wisely kept his distance from the tense standoff. 'It may be an act, but I'm willing to bet these two genuinely do not get along. This may be a symptom of some deeper division between them - them or the organisations they belong to.' Indeed, overlaps in jurisdiction often occurred among the many armies which fought together during the campaigns against the Khitans. Feudal warlords were notoriously averse to giving up jurisdiction to a so-called neutral third party (who tended to be under the influence of lavish bribes), unless that third party was the Yarhaci's father, Nianhan. It was no surprise, given that Nianhan was renown for his fairness and sense of justice. What escaped these warlords was that Nianhan adjudicated fairly because it benefited him far more to be seen as 'fair' rather than 'partial'.

"So it is. So it is. If GadoSentry wants the evidence, I'm afraid they'll have to put in an application with Mr Lai; let Mr Arbitrator have a go at it eh?" Impressively, Christopher did not back down, did not so much as wilt under the glare of the giant before him. "Really, don't take us for fools. Your warrant only allows you to gather evidence insofar as such evidence does not substantially affect the operation of another company. If you want this, you'll have to go through the Arbitration Chambers."

Yuxi seemed have shrank into the thin shadows at the edge of Yarhaci's room. 'She must not be very used to confrontations,' thought Yarhaci. Although he was interested in the conversation between the two men, he could hardly understand their references. It was obviously an appeal to some process by which to resolve their differences - perhaps Yuxi could explain it to him tonight.

As quickly as he had flared up, Investigator Kitamura calmed and sat back down. All traces of aggression or anger had disappeared. "Fine. May we continue, Yarhaci?"

"Now, are you able to tell me what the document said?"

Yarhaci could feel Yuxi's and Christopher's eyes bore into him. These people obviously belonged to the organisation hosting him. He knew where his loyalties lay - for now. "Ah, I just had to speak. I read only few words - tell my name and origin."

"Origin? Where *do* you come from?"

"uh... Inner Mongolia."

"Anything else?" the Investigator probed further.

"No. He tell to practice." Yarhaci sensed that the bit about him living a thousand years ago was important and therefore something he could not share with the Investigator. He could not risk offending Christopher, who seemed to be a representative of his host.

"Practice speaking?"

"Yes." Concluded Yarhaci. There was nothing else to say, and the Investigator knew he could learn nothing more.

Standing up, the Investigator took a look around the room; the room was sparsely furnished, the bookshelves and desk empty. Kitamura opened the desk-drawers, but these were empty too. There was nothing for him here.

Without ceremony, Investigator Kitamura made his way out, escorted by Christopher. "Next is the widow. She lives close?"

"She's down the Danish Boulevard. We can use the Loop at Level 2 to get there.*" Christopher glanced at Yuxi, "Take him to the lab as usual; I should be back by three for the meeting. If I'm not back by then - tell the others not to wait for me."

"Will do." managed Yuxi.

With a hiss, the door closed, leaving Yarhaci alone with his attendant.

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(01:47PM, Monday, Stellar Academy Dorms, Laboratory)

The route from Yarhaci's room to the Laboratory took about 15 minutes to traverse while brisk-walking. There were perhaps two metal corridors lined with that familiar automated entrance; Yarhaci had often wondered how those could be opened. After all, proximity to his own door was all that was needed for it to slide open. He reckoned that someone, somewhere had to be watching him.

The corridors opened up to a large and busy square with an exceptionally high ceiling. Eight adult men standing atop each other might just reach it. A row of powerful lights hung down from the ceiling, blanketing the space in a sterile whitish light.

Two of the opposing far sides of the square ended with glass windows. On both sides, an observer would see the eternally dark city pockmarked with hellish forge-fires; beyond that, one could just make out great monolithic buildings shrouded in darkness. Yuxi had told him that this was where massive machines were assembled and sent elsewhere.

From this vantage point could be seen the furthest extents of the city - massive 'Floodlight Gates', which could be seen on either side of the square, marked the boundary between city and not-city. Or so Yuxi had mentioned. Yarhaci had often wondered how far he was from home, but thought it prudent to keep this thought secret.

The square was always very busy; all sorts of people of all sorts of complexions wore either a monochromatic garb or the standard grey-suit. Perhaps the color denoted a uniform of some sort. There were others dressed as Yarhaci was - in a plain white T-shirt and long pants. Some of these had as their destination the Laboratory, but the subjects were always carefully segregated, although they sometimes made eye contact.

On the opposite side of the square (opposite from the side which Yarhaci had come from and adjacent to either of the grand windows) were narrow corridors and low ceilings which resembled the corridors leading to Yarhaci's room. Here the corridors were confusing and tended to meander for some time. The Laboratory was reached once the subject was utterly sure that they were lost.

As they left the busy square behind, Yarhaci let curiosity get the better of him. "So, Peng dead?" he, rather impolitely, asked. He had no other way to express his curiosity except in this most direct of ways. Yuxi had always escorted him silently, but perhaps he could leverage the events which had transpired to learn more about this place.

"... Yes. It was a terrible thing." Yuxi replied softly. Perhaps she was more sullen than usual. During her teaching sessions she had always conversed easily (if not always understandably) with him.

"How was it done? When?" Yarhaci would not be daunted. "He was good to me, very good. Probably a friend."

"He was, wasn't he? I didn't know him for very long - probably about as long as you." Yuxi said. "But he's always been good to me. I heard he's always been nice to people around him."

Their footsteps thudded faintly on the metal floor, as silence descended once more. They were alone in the long winding corridor.

"Christopher said he was strangled. Oh, it must be such a horrible way to go! Yes, strangled - s-t-r-a-n-g-l-e-d," Yuxi clarified, putting her hands around her neck and making as if she were choking herself.

"Yes, horrible," Death by asphyxiation. Indeed, it was one of the more cruel ways to commit a murder. It also tended to leave many clues behind because of the ensuing struggle, if the perpetrator did not know what they were doing. Yarhaci was intimately familiar with the method.

"I didn't see the body. Couldn't see it anyway, since I tend to be squeamish about this sort of thing. But Christopher says they just found out this morning, and that it probably happened some time yesterday. They're having some trouble assessing the exact time of death, though. Weird." Yuxi stated. She seemed to be articulating her thoughts more than conversing with Yarhaci.

"Time he died? Don't know?" Yarhaci asked.

"Yes, they don't know. Some time yesterday. You," Yuxi pointed at Yarhaci, "were probably the last person to see him alive. Other than the murderer, that is. He missed the morning meeting, which he never does, and Margaret found him lying dead in his office. I hear the smell was unbearable, once the door was opened."

"Enemies?" Yarhaci probed further.

"I wouldn't know about that sort of thing - oh it's down this way, we're almost there - but the Investigator you saw just now? He's from the resident auxiliary police. Uh... that means the Investigators are employed by GadoSentry, a private company."

"Company... like Stellar Academy?" That was the organisation which Yuxi, and presumably Peng and Christopher, belonged to. Stellar Academy was probably their tribe of some sort.

"Similar to Stellar Academy, but never-mind the distinction. Basically, the Authority, which is a part of yet another company, must receive a complaint, and then they send an Investigator down to collect evidence. Investigations only occur if there are complaints. It seems - someone sent a complaint, contrary to our policy on workplace fatalities. Err... sorry. That must have been hard to understand. Basically, only investigate is someone asks. And Stellar Academy prohibits asking."

"Okay." Yarhaci nodded. It would take awhile before he could understand everything, but he was beginning to see how this society worked. Indeed, the Authority seemed to play a role similar to the Wanyan Elder in responding to complaints.

"Also, what Christopher said earlier? All companies are technically equal, and only certain arrangements agreed to by Stellar Academy can be enforced... uh... carried out. Since we never agreed that they could take important documents regarding our operations... yeah, like that document Peng passed to you? We did not agree that the Investigator could take it."

"So Investigator cannot take paper. But... 'equal'?" Yarhaci asked.

"That's tough. I'll tell you more about that later - since we're here!" Yuxi came to a stop before that familiar metal sliding door. By its side was a see-through glass pane guarded by what Yarhaci thought must be a sentry. The man's right eye was replaced by a mechanical implant, not unlike the golden orbs some of his wealthier clansmen put in their empty eye socket. Yarhaci suspected, however, that the implant was something more useful than a placeholder.

"Associate Yuxi. Identity Card please." Yuxi slid her identity card, on which was printed various symbols and several black inscriptions, through the opening in the glass pane.

"Sorry Gabe, we were held up today. We'll stay till... probably 2:55PM today." Yuxi stated, glancing at her watch.

The man, whom Yuxi had introduced as Servitor Gabriel on their first meeting, was the ever-present sentry guarding the Laboratory. He clicked his tongue irritably, passing the card back to Yuxi, "You could've called. Or dropped a message. Do that next time, yeah?"

"Yep, sorry about that!" Yuxi squeaked sheepishly. The door hissed open and the duo were let into the meeting room.

The meeting room was extremely spacious and pleasantly warm. Footsteps were muffled here, as the floor was almost fully covered in a soft blue carpet. At the far end of the meeting room were no more than twenty sliding doors, which opened into self-contained recreational facilities. There were other subjects clad in T-shirt and pants here; each of them were segregated for the duration of their recreation, and were accompanied only by their designated attendant.

Today, Yarhaci saw that old bronze-skinned man again. Here was another person whose features he could not place; the man was clean-shaven and bald, with grey eyebrows and a piercing stare. Though old, he was lean and walked around effortlessly and without aid. In Yarhaci's mind, this clearly contrasted with the Principal's stooped form and pale, sallow skin.

They acknowledged each other wordlessly. They could do no more. This did not escape Yuxi, who led Yarhaci to his usual station at the leftmost facility.

There was someone waiting there today. Waiting, it seemed, for them.

It was a woman.

It was at this moment that Yarhaci felt truly taken aback; it was an impression approximating mild vertigo. It was partly in awe at the sheer beauty of the woman before him, and partly in curiosity as to what such a woman could be waiting for. 'Of course; this place has inventions of uncommon ingenuity, and a warrior of uncommon proficiency. It is not so surprising that there would be a woman of uncommon beauty. I wonder what other talent this society has successfully cultivated.' thought Yarhaci.

Yarhaci had never seen a woman of such bewitching beauty; and the monochromatic garb the woman wore tended, unlike his attendant's, to accentuate her supple figure.

As if noticing his reaction, the woman smiled sweetly. Yarhaci observed that her features seemed reminiscent of the Investigator's. 'Some unknown relation?' Yarhaci would shelve that thought for another time.

"Ms Asahina! I-is anything the matter?" Yuxi exclaimed in surprise; her tone was appropriately deferential, as it was when addressing Peng and the Principal.

"Oh? Yes, I've been waiting for you." The woman, Asahina, replied. Her attention was entirely on Yarhaci, and she did not even deign to look at Yuxi. "This must be Him! Oh, such 'specimen'!"

"What? He's err, he's one of our 'VIP' patients!" Chuckling nervously, Yuxi managed, "Ms Asahina, he's here for the daily exercise tests. If you need me, maybe after?"

"Alright alright. I Just came down on Principal's orders - to look through some records, Beryl's. Saw your name under the reservations, and thought to wait for you. You sure made me wait, didn't you!" Asahina was touching Yarhaci's shoulders now, as though checking if he were real. The woman evidently wanted something, and his guard was up. But he had to be cautious - she was clearly of higher rank than his attendant.

"Greetings!" Yarhaci managed.

Laughing cutely, Asahina said, "He even speaks!"

"Erm... Ms Asahina, I've to conduct the tests and time's a-running..." Yuxi managed weakly.

"Ah, don't be a spoilsport. I'll help you with it. I've got nothing urgent to do!" Suddenly, Asahina's mood changed, becoming serious. She whispered, though loudly enough for both of them to hear, with calm gravity, "Actually, this thing about Beryl - have you heard?"

"Ms Law? Something big's happened hasn't it; they announced her confinement this morning."

"Yeah..." Ryo narrowed her eyes, her tone dropping further, "her card was used to access VP's office before his estimated time of death. Principal suspects her, and tasked me to check her Laboratory records. That's why I'm here." With terrifying suddenness, Asahina's mood turned playful again, "Well, I'd like to see how this guy performs though. I've heard many things about him, and - oh, I'm just so curious!"