Written in 365 Parts: 51: Listening In

Hooper was sat at their work station when the comms came through from Krennar. A small part of Hooper wanted to mute the call and just wrap for the day, they were tired and it had been a long shift. However they took the call and opened up a secure channel to their personal station. They activated the privacy screen and on a whim they also flicked on a seperate mini-tracer which would do an active scan for anyone attempting to breach the screen and comms encryption. Hooper trusted the Judiciary system but it had flaws and today had been evidence that someone was going to go to great lengths to interfere with the Marsh case.

“What can I do for you Krennar?” Hooper growled the words but it was tiredness and not annoyance that formed the sentiment. “I told you that I would contact you if there was any change in the situation or if any reports came through. Neither of those has happened. In fact there is not much for me to report to you personally.”

‘I understand,” Krennar also sounded tired and yet there was an eagerness in their voice which was unusual for a Legal in Hooper’s experience, and almost unknown for Krennar. “However I am curious as to why there has been so much of a delay, even in the initial reports. I would have expected something by this time.”

I expect it got bumped to the bottom of somebodies priority list since you took Marsh out of the prosecution roster. Look we only have limited numbers of personnel, we can’t run around chasing every minor matter.”

“Is that what you think this is? Does it seem minor to you? I know that you wouldn’t think that anything I initiate is minor.”

Hooper glared for a moment before weary resignation overcame them. “Of course not, it is why I wanted Drick to drop the damned thing. It is a nest of angry insects is what it is. And don’t get your probably expensive natural fibre undergarments knotted up, I never meant anything by that. Hell you know that.”

“Indeed. However in regards to Drick I personally am neither surprised that they could not drop it, nor intrigued that they attached themselves to the case. Drick has a habit of finding these. Almost as if it were predetermined, a fate if you like. Not that I believe in such. So clearly Drick does it on purpose. However, matter at hand. why is it really taking so long? I can understand some minor delay but it has been several hours, even with heavy case loads and a lack of interest Judicial is efficient, more so than this wait warrants. We don’t have even a minor medical report? Surely that would have been performed by automated systems and robotic personnel on arrival to the station?”

“Granted, In fact that’s a real good point. I’ll look into…” Hooper paused. There was a slight trace line on the monitor panel of the external mini-tracer. Someone was attempting to listen in, they had managed to intercept the comms without alerting the Judiciary internal systems. That meant they were inside the network, they were logged into the Judiciary systems locally. It looked as if they were backtracking the conversation Hooper was having with Krennar and Hooper guessed downloading a copy to a remote server. They were stealing the call, they would have to use a remote system so they could decrypt it. “Anyway I have to go so it will be tomorrow before I get to this.”

“Tomorrow. I would prefer it if it were tonight.”

“But I thought you were going back to the surface tonight?” Hooper spoke with a calm voice.

Krennar stared at Hooper for a long moment. There was clearly something wrong. Hooper had already confirmed that there was a set of rooms reserved for Krennar, and maybe Marsh, for the next few days at least. The journey to the surface and back was tiresome to be undertaken every day and if this case carried on in the manner it seemed likely to do then it would be at least five or six days to clear matters and secure proper procedures. It would be best if he played along with whatever Hooper was doing, no doubt information would come at a later date. “Well I think that might still be the wisest plan.”

“What time were you thinking of leaving?”

“Well as soon as I have received the preliminary reports, hopefully they will not take much longer. However I expect that it will be by the last shuttle of the day. What time does that leave?”

“I don’t have that information at hand. Let me get back to you.”

“Very well. I will wait for your call.”

“Good. I will get back to you.”

Krennar turned off the comms and made a quick passive trace on the call network as it disengaged. There was a clear signal from the Judiciary systems though Krennar’s own detected a momentary delay between the comms being killed and the system going offline. Something was active for a fraction of a moment after the call disengaged. It was probably a second system, a trace or an interrupt. Hooper must have known which was why they’d acted so abrupt. Oh well, this was a great day for old Chinese proverbs.