House of the Morningstar: Chapter 33

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House of the Morningstar: Chapter 33

Abstract design with a circuit board, turret, and stars.


So, this is it then. I am on my way back to Katastropolis and from there back home. A few weeks of journey lie ahead of me. Right now, the caravan is making its way through the desert in the same slow and steady pace as when I arrived here. There is nothing else but rocks and dust and sand and the mountains, which we are leaving behind us. We spent the time playing card games and we chatted about this and that. I also found the time to write my resignation letter. I will send it off once we reach Katastropolis. The journey home will more than cover my time of notice.


At some point we had reached the black streak of road and the ride got a bit less bumpy and in the evening, we could see the first traces of human settlements. Large cranes can be seen in the distance in front of us. There will be new homes for a large number of people. Far in the distance I could make out the colossus of a terraforming machine moving through the landscape so slowly it was not possible to see any motion at all. In a few decades the whole desert is supposed to be green. There will be trees and grass and water and then breathable air. As I looked out of the window I tried to imagine the landscape as it will be some day. They say it will be just like home.

Plot divider

Conclusions


Harry entered the interrogation room.


He whispered to Elanor,'Mr Pospishil told the truth, he was clocked in at work the whole time. The bartender of the Pink Lobster also recognized his picture and said that he picked up his uncle from there.'


Elanor nodded absent-mindedly.


'I know,' she said.'Sorry, we're beyond this point already. Thanks for checking anyway.'


Harry sighed and decided to stay and wait until he was needed again. He leaned at the wall and watched Elanor pace back and forth. He wondered what she had done to Mr Pospishil, who was still resting his head on his arms, lying on the table. He seemed to be in a terrible mental state.


'When they – whoever they are - discovered that Mr Morgenstern had one of the blue crystals, they thought he or his family must also know the location of Eldorado,' Elanor went on to ,' as the duchess said, the Stevenson family forgot where the treasure is buried, but maybe the Morgensterns still know? And that's why Angela Morgenstern was kidnapped. She was on her way to Katastropolis anyway, so there was no need to force her into a transport. That was in fact quite convenient, right? Then our good Mr Spencer could fetch her mid-flight. They had a short stop at the old Warehouse in Katastropolis before forcing Angela to show them the way to Eldorado.'


'In fact,' Harry interrupted,'the warehouse, as we have learned from the old diary, was owned by a man called Bill Stevenson once upon a time. And we all know who that is, right?'


Elanor stopped and looked at him.


'You know,' she said, 'you are right. The kidnappers had access to a company-owned warehouse, a VIP suite on the transport and left Ares Station on a private shuttle. They had access to money and resources.'


Harry nodded,' I guess someone of the higher-ups of Flux Tec was involved in this.'


'But why,' Elanor asked,' why was anyone at FluxTec interested in destroying Mr Morgenstern's prized orchids? Why did Henry Morgenstern have to die?'


Mr Pospishil started to sob quietly.


'Oh come on, man,' Elanor growled,' start talking or I'll finally lose my patience.'


Mr Pospishil looked at her, a tear running down his cheek. He said,'It is still just a prototype. Pattern recognition and bot-to-bot communication has not yet been quite perfected.'


Elanor stopped pacing and looked at the suspect, then at Harry, who seemed to have understood more than her.


'Brutus, as we konow from the presentation, can communicate with other robots and send them instructions. I think it means... that's why Mr Martin's farm bot shredded the blue cabbages. You see... flowers... cabbages... pattern recognition...' Harry tried to explain to Elanor.


'Ok, I see,' she said. 'So it couldn't tell flowers from cabbages. And it probably sent the message to the wrong robot first?'


Mr Pospishil sighed deeply.


'I will take that as a yes,' Elanor decided. 'But why shred the flowers in the first place? It doesn't seem to be a market FluxTec has any interest in.'


'And,' she thought,'they probably didn't know about the other flowers. Those down in the hidden room under the glasshouse. Or did they?'


Mr Pospishil sighed again and mumbled something unintelligible.


'Speak up!' Elanor shouted and slapped her hands on the table.' I have enough of all your mumbling and sighing!'


The man looked up at her and suddenly he seemed angry. He jumped up from his chair.


'I only wanted to help uncle Karl!' he shouted back at her,'it seemed like a blessing when they told me to take Brutus and steal that crystal! And when I told them I wanted to destroy these smegging flowers they even said it is a great idea! I didn't care what they wanted that crystal for!'


Then, he sat down again.


'And what about Dr Morgenstern? Why did he have to die?' Elanor asked.


Mr Pospishil looked up at her. 'He should have stayed in bed. I didn't know he was dead until you told Uncle Karl.'


Elanor nodded to herself and concluded. 'That's why Mr Wong was so shocked to hear Dr Morgenstern was dead.'


Suddenly, Harry's pad started to beep. He looked at it for a moment.


'We got a message from your friend in Katastropolis,' he said to Elanor,' looks like it was really someone at the top of FluxTec who is behind all this. And I mean the very, very top.'


Elanor raised an eyeborw,' you mean Valentine himself?'


Harry nodded. 'Looks like it.'


Mr Pospishil looked at them both in terror, all colour had drained from his face and he screeched,' I didn't say anything!'


Elanor rolled her eyes.'I think we hit the mark.'


She patted Mr Pospishil's back. 'Don't worry, we'll get him. Thanks for all your help.'


He moaned silently and sank down on the table again.

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