Chapter 14

                Kenfer was just turning his back on the central video screen, to complete his explanation facing the seated Elders when Melman entered at the rear of the conference room.  The last of the Elders had now been present for the better part of an hour and Kenfer’s efforts to stall for Loomis were running on empty. 

                “Please excuse my interruption Mr. Kenfer and Honorable Elders,” Melman declared clearly, “but Senior Elder Loomis has just landed at the North security entrance.  I have a man ushering him here with all due speed.  Elder Loomis has requested and been supplied the introductory information packet that was distributed upon your arrival to the meeting.  He is perusing this information as he makes his way here.  Elder Loomis expressed his regrets for his tardiness and wished to be caught up to the groups understanding of this case when he arrived.  He does not wish to hold up this meetings progress by being given the information already presented as the rest of you wait.  I have been in contact with the communication department and the decrypted transcripts of the last data burst from our missing Probe should be up on your desk screens at any moment.  We are going to forgo hard copies dew to our time constraints.  Hopefully this latest information will arrive just about simultaneously with our last member.”   

                Melman was secretly hoping that Benson would confirm the OIA code he’d found by accident, before the actual transcripts were published to the individual conference screens.  Reaching the front of the room, Melman had his back to the Elders and taking advantage of his orientation he whispered to Kenfer that he needed to speak with him privately for a few moments.  Kenfer side stepped slightly so that he could be heard clearly.

                “Please excuse me for just a moment gentlemen,”Kenfer offered in a flat tone, “Mr. Melman needs me to send a personal clearance code to communications regarding the secure release, for electronic transfer, of the decrypted information he just spoke of.”

                Kenfer was thinking that what the Elders didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them as he left the conference room, shutting the door behind him.  Melman motioned Kenfer over to the closest unused office door and when Kenfer was close enough, he opened the door and they both went in.

                “I needed to let you in on an idea I had and have started to pursue,” Melman shut the door of the small office and continued, “The last data burst, the one I have advised you and the Elders would be decrypted soon, has in fact been decrypted but held up while Mr. Benson in Communications looks into what a OIA confirmation code was doing subtly mixed in with the emergency message text.”

                “OIA code, are you sure?  Are you telling me someone directed Probe 4 to do something outside of its operational program and that it had no choice?” Kenfer stared at Melman with a blank face.

                Melman explained himself slowly. “I don’t know what the directive was exactly but the simple fact that a confirmation code was returned to us, is proof that the OIA code was received, that the Probe understood the order and either enacted or complied with it.  We know that whatever happened to the Probes last Director caused the probe to halt in mid mission to regroup.  We know that it has utilized a forgotten subroutine in its original programming to choose a New Director so that it can continue operations and that apparently, this individual has accepted the job and any further communications have been terminated.  The data from the last emergency transmission, just before the Probe shut down, contained what we believe to be the statement that it would be back on line after training.”

                “When will this Benson fellow be able to tell us anything about the code?” Kenfer had lowered his brow and gotten closer to Melman. “We need to know specifically what the Probe was directed to do and why.  This could break this whole mess wide open.”

                “Benson is the best communications man I’ve ever worked with.  He seems to think he might be able to look back through past transmissions to and from the Probe and key in on any subtle coding residue that will steer him to what the original OIA code contained.” I realized I was now whispering.

                I was being a little vague, I know but I had to protect both Benson and his custom program that might save the day, not to mention be quite useful in the future.  Some secrets just had to be protected if one wanted to appear indispensible to his boss. 

                Kenfer was quiet now, paced a moment and turned to face me. “Loomis is going to be here any minute now and I have to have that information as soon as possible.  Have someone in communications call the conference room com and just say anything on the line until I end the call.  That will let me continue to stall for time.  One more thing, what is your read on Loomis?  Why does the most senior of the Elders seem not to be in much of a hurry to get to the bottom of a situation never heard of in this department before?  My understanding of his character is that of a control freak.  I think our Mr. Loomis has an alternate agenda and it’s not to bring back one of the most sophisticated machines ever created and one that must not fall into the wrong hands.”

                “The man I sent down to escort Elder Loomis as well as provide the information he asked for reported back to me that Loomis made him wait after his flyer landed.  He was standing at the front of the vehicle and could see through the driver’s rear passenger compartment divider.  Loomis was on his personal com and by his expression engaged in a serious conversation.  My man said that this call took several minutes.  I know that it had to be someone that called him after I last communicated with the Elder about his estimated arrival time at the Center Complex.” Before Kenfer could get to the door I added, “Elder Loomis was fishing for more information about the Probe.  I wasn’t sure at the time but now I think he’s searching for something not yet on our radar.  I’ll start keeping a closer eye on his actions and what kinds of information he gets his hands on.”

                As Kenfer went through the door on his way back to the conference room Melman saw Loomis step off the lift with his escort close behind.  He appeared not to be a happy man.