ASSOCIATION / CH. 21:ALL PART OF THE SERVICE.

THURSDAY MORNING, 25TH JAN. INTERVIEW ROOM, U.N.

Vivian grabbed Lilly's right arm, violently. [You are very convincing as a defector, Traitor!] she thought to her, in Lilly's mother tongue. Vivian had been asked to to start this part of the interview with the phrase, but although she had a good ear, her tongue wasn't as cooperative. Mind to mind, though, it was quite easy to repeat something she couldn't have said; there weren't all the normal problems of getting her tongue to move in the right places. They'd sent her recordings of other phrases as well, and she'd memorised them last night, and revised them again on the way here.

Lilly was too stunned at hearing the opening lines, in her mother tongue, with perfect accent, to think coherently.

Switching back to English, Vivian thought to her, [Or are you going to say that it was all lies? And can convince me of that?]. She continued [We've been suspicious since someone thought they'd seen that traitor Lee alive. So much for the supposed proof of your loyalty, and now you've confirmed you didn't kill him, and share his treachery.] Lilly had given the name of her 'victim' at her first interview. [Thank you for confirming that your mother was still loyal. I saw more proof of that recently, of course.] Switching back to Lilly's mother tongue she thought another prepared phrase to her: [Do you really think an agent can't pass herself off as a Christian? Foolish girl!] Back to English [I fooled people at the Truthsayer Association too, of course... It was ever so easy, they're just so trusting! And the great thing about the mask is you didn't even suspect! So, can you convince me you're loyal?]

Lilly didn't answer, Vivian could hear spurts of thought, but nothing coherent. Vivian laughed, scornfully and thought [Poor, poor, traitor Lilly! So, tell me, where's that waiter and what's his name? I think you've told me everything else. Oh, I forgot, you needed to see this first, didn't you? True evidence of your mother's loyalty!] Vivian was ready to send Lilly her memory of the video clip they'd wanted her to send or show, depending whether Lilly could hear thoughts or not. The sequence showed Lilly's mother leveling a pistol to the head of her brother, him crying 'Mother, please, No!' the gun firing, him falling dead. It was a terrible thought and Vivian had a moment of clarity, imagined Lilly's anguished pain at the image, how it might damage her, and didn't send it; she couldn't bear to. Instead she checked Lilly's thoughts, saw the sense of betrayal, and absolute terror at Vivian, who she'd trusted, turning out to be her worst enemy. Lilly was doubting everything, and Vivian saw that the darkness Lilly had battled with earlier was gaining strength, threatening to overwhelm her sanity. To send those images, she realised would be the most terrible thing she could send to Lilly, applying the torture method of a thought-stealer, and leave her wounded, possibly for life. Vivian recoiled from the hurt she'd caused. She was a TRUTHsayer! She had taken a vow!

“NO.” Vivian said aloud, snatching her hand from Lilly. “This is a lie, and I am a TRUTH-sayer. Let NO lie pass! I will NOT continue with this. Sorry, Lilly, I didn't want to, but they told me I had to, and I almost tortured you more, all for their silly forms. It was just some memorised phrases to jolt you off guard, and lies.”

Tears ran down Lilly's cheeks, shaking her head in confusion. “More lies! How did you know Lee's name?”

“Your first interview. You gave his name that time, and the person you told wrote it all down.”

Lilly stared at her, terror behind the tears in her eyes.

Vivian pulled off her mask. “Lilly, look at my face. Does anyone from your home look like me? I shocked you with a words you weren't expecting, and then almost fed you a nightmare. I will not torture you like that. It's needless. By the way, the self defence from that situation is to hide your thoughts. If you'd hidden your thoughts it wouldn't have worked at all, you know: I can't make my mouth pronounce the words I thought to you.”

“Nice explanation. How do I know it's true?” Lilly asked, beginning to calm down.

“My face isn't evidence enough?”

“No.” Lilly said.

“I didn't think it would be, somehow.” Vivian said. “I argued with them that if I was convinced by what I heard, that should be good enough. They said no, you needed to be brought to a crisis point, where if you were loyal to home you'd seek to prove it. I was supposed to show you a fake-memory picture of your mother killing your brother. I'm not going to do that. I've already hurt you enough.”

“I'd probably have killed you.”

“You'd have tried. I had your wrist, remember?”

Lilly looked at her, still looking like a betrayed animal in a cage. “I can't trust anything you say. Get away from me.”

“What I obviously could do is walk out of your life, but you'll have a nagging doubts, I expect, at least until your brother is safe in your hands. Not to mention nightmares. I'm sure you'd have nightmares if I had hit you with that picture.”

“I was ready to kill you.” Lilly repeated.

“You can still try if you really like.” Vivian offered, shaking her head. “I'm sorry, I shouldn't have even started it. I'm here in my role as a truthsayer, not as a liar and thought-stealer. And it's a pointless test. It doesn't prove anything! I know you're no agent for back home. I also don't want you making a decision on what passport you get based on being afraid of me. In reality I'm only scary to the bad guys.”

“You sure scared me.”

“I know. And I'm very sad I did it, and glad I stopped it before I sent that image. They don't trust my abilities, so they send me to torture you. I won't.”

“You said yourself, I could trick you.”

“Not quite. I just said there wasn't much point holding hands all the time.

I have no doubts that your faith is real, Lilly. And the greatest lie in what I said to you was that you can't tell when you're talking to another believer. That should have alerted you, actually.”

“It was so unexpected, you thinking those words at me.”

“I know. That's part of their method, to set you up for one situation, and then throw a totally unexpected one at you.”

“I don't know if I can trust anything you say.”

“Trust this.” Vivian closed her eyes, and prayed aloud. “Father God, I don't know if I sinned against you in testing Lilly as I just did. But I know I sinned against the trust that had grown between us. I know I hurt her. You know my reasons for doing it that way, Lord, my hope that it would hurt her less, coming from me. Help her forgive me, for her sake, not for mine. Don't let that bitter root grow up. Forgive me for not being braver and rejecting the test entirely. Thank you that I have no doubts about her faith in you, or about her dislike of the way her country is governed. I pray Lord, that you'll strengthen her faith, watch over her heart, soul and mind, and help her find...” Vivian hesitated “... true wisdom for all her decisions.”

Lilly listened to Vivian's heart-felt prayer. She could trust it, she realised. But also, she was puzzled. “You didn't pray for peace.” she observed.

“No. I didn't. I almost did,” Vivian admitted, “but It's actually something I try to be rather careful about. May you present you needs to God with prayer and supplication, Lilly, and may He guard your heart and mind from every attack and scary thought.”

“I'd really like to know what's wrong with praying someone with an incredibly troubled mind finds peace.”

“I guess.... I guess it all ties into me being a bit of a coward, to not standing up to people who have authority and no faith. I'm sorry, I can't explain the link, really. And how can I pray you'll have peace when it was my decision that lead to you not having it? But there's more than that.”

“You're saying that if you were braver you could have avoided putting me though that... nightmare?”

Vivian nodded. “Maybe. I don't know. They acted as though they have their forms and rules and they wouldn't have paid me any attention to my evidence unless I leapt through their hoops. It was either me, or someone else. And that's what I told myself. But... I could have tried talking to someone face to face, or to someone else. If there was someone else. I just don't know.

But if I'd hit you with that sequence I'd have to turn myself in for torture. I've broken my vow as a truthsayer, going that far into it.”

“You stopped the lie.”

“It occurs to me now that I should have just refused to even start it.”

“But there would have been doubt about me. They want certainty.”

“They'll have only a partial record of what happened, Lilly. Even if they have been recording. They accepted that I'd be using mind-to-mind communication. No, they suggested it! But I wonder if they'd thought it through. How could they see what I saw? Your terror at what I was saying? If they want a repeat performance...”

“Yes?”

“Claim political asylum from our embassy. You don't need to go through another version of that again, or any other loyalty test.”

“You're certain.”

“Lilly, you were almost ready to kill me because you thought I was a genuine agent of your homeland and I'd heard all you said, and yet still wanted more out of you. Even you must accept that if you'd been a real agent yourself, you'd have told me the name of the guy, for all that I'd called you a traitor.”

“True.”

“But I'd already established that you weren't loyal to your home regime, see?”

“But they wouldn't accept your testimony.”

“Exactly.” Vivian agreed. “They called for a truthsayer, but when they got me, I've just worked out that basically they said they'd only accept my testimony if it was against you, unless I smashed my vows, acted like the very opposite of a truthsayer, and then tortured you for their entertainment. I'm really really sorry, I should have been braver, made far more of a fuss. Called my supervisor back home or ambassador or something. I'm really really sorry, for putting you through any of that, Lilly.”

“I forgive you.” Lilly said.

“I should have known better.” Vivian hung her head.

“Hey, Truthsayer friend, It's OK. You didn't let the lie pass, and you didn't hit me with the image. I've been through worse, really.”

“So have I, I guess, but that doesn't make it right to put you through it.”

“What was your worse time?” Lilly asked, curious.

“Hmm. Probably the time just before I came to faith. I knew I'd upset the demons I'd been worshipping as 'spirit guides'. I went to start my car, the doors locked and the engine didn't start. That's how people died who left the coven. I'd heard rumours, it gets diagnosed as poor maintenance: an electrical fault. The car doesn't start, then you unlock the doors and boom. You open the windows, boom. You do anything. Boom.”

“What happened?”

“One of the fifty-six led me to Christ, remotely, while a guy who'd 'just happened to come along' who knew car mechanics and had a full tool box tied a glass-breaking tool spike onto a long pole. When he was finished with his long-distance glass-breaker, I was a new Christian, not nearly as afraid of death. He broke the glass and I dived out and we both rolled to safety.”

“Wow. And your car didn't go boom?”

“Sorry, I forgot, he also decided to clamp the fuel-line while I was converting. So, the explosion wasn't as big as it might have been and it wasn't immediate, just... very soon afterwards.”

“So... you faced imminent almost certain death, and lived because of a miracle.” Lilly summarised.

“Yes. Do you want to share your worst moment?”

“I guess... spy training. All of it in general and specific highlights, like practicing withstanding torture.” She massaged her arm. “I notice you've got a good strong grip. And you said I'd have tried to kill you. Combat training?”

“Yes. Mostly concentrating on restraint, like I expected to use on you. No torture training though, unless you count what I went through to advance in the coven. That was... self imposed, and voluntary.”

“And not fatal.”

“Frequently fatal, if you weren't ready. 'Late teen dies in mountains due to...' Not passing the test which would have given him the tent or rope or whatever else he needed to survive.”

“Why?” Lilly asked, shocked. “Why do people do that?”

“Power over people, greater spells, authority, position, pride, I'm better than you, that sort of thing.”

“Another evil system.”

“Yes. You were born into it, I chose to enter it for selfish reasons. Praise God we're both out.”

“Am I? I'm still a double agent.”

“What would happen if you told your mother the truth?”

“They might try to assassinate me. She would be blamed, maybe executed.”

“So, what if your whole family defects?”

“I don't know. Assassination? I can't believe my parents would though.”

“Ah, but maybe they don't believe you would either. But you've been instructed to get your brother safely out, no strings attached. I presume he's not going through spy school?”

“No. He wants to study engineering but his English isn't good enough, that's why he's there with them.”

“So, perhaps it's possible to think that maternal feelings are nearly as strong or maybe even stronger than party loyalty, that she helps him on his road to defecting.”

“I pray it might be so.”

“What if the 'great leader' defected?”

“Pardon?”

“Just a crazy thought. If your leader recognised the system was evil, if he was running scared of the young idealists who'd see change of policy as a great betrayal? Of the parents whose children he's had executed? If he realised that he couldn't hang on to power without either getting someone's knife in his back or a bullet in his head because he accepted change or a personally targeted bomb in his bedroom if he didn't? Where might he go to be safe?”

“You think he might accept maximum security prison, or at least house arrest, rather than death?”

“You have a better cultural insight than I do.”

Lilly shook her head. “I really can't guess.”

“Shall we go and tell people you qualify for a passport?”

“Don't forget your mask.”

“Thank-you sister, I almost did.” Vivian said. “Oh, I almost forgot something else: She addressed the microphone.

“If any video or audio recording has occurred during this interview, then according to my rights under the United Nations charter, I hereby claim privacy on our conversation. No material from this interview may be passed on by a viewer or listener without my prior approval. No access to the recording may be granted without my prior approval, on a case by case basis. Do you also claim this right, Lilly?”

“You can do that?” Lilly was stunned.

“I just have. It is my right, and yours also. Do you also claim this right?”

“Yes, I claim that right.”

Vivian checked her wrist unit “This interview is terminated at five to one.”

----------------------------------------

Vivian stepped up to the reception desk. “Hello, I've just concluded an official interview in room thirty five. Was there a recording being made?”

“Yes, Ms. There'll be someone coming to collect it soon for appraisal.” the receptionist replied.

“I would like it noted that myself and my interviewee were not informed of this prior to beginning the interview and have claimed the right of privacy.”

“You can't...” the receptionist swallowed, cleared his throat and said “... you obviously have. Sorry for implying you didn't have that right. Urm, that makes life difficult.”

“Was the recording video or audio?”

“Video.”

“I suspected it might be. It was necessary for me to remove my mask during part of the interview. Therefore, I had no alternative but to claim privacy.

"Also of course, matters of a personal nature were discussed by my interviewee, which could be very dangerous in the wrong hands.”

Lilly helpfully added “We have no objection to it being reviewed by relevant people with all due precaution.”

“But of course we cannot allow unrestricted circulation.” Vivian stated firmly, “So all access will be on a case by case basis. I will want to know the name, nationality, position and security clearance of the individual concerned prior to granting access or partial access, as well as their formal need to know. I presume that Lilly here will want similar information in order to decide.” Lilly just nodded.

“Ms, I do not have the authority...”

“You do have the master recording?”

“Yes.”

“Then it is a simple matter for you to hand it over so we can lock it to our I.D.s, is it not? And of course it's also our right to demand that.” Vivian asked.

“Yes, Ms. You are well informed of your rights, Ms.”

“I'm disappointed that here of all places they're not posted clearly for all to see.” Vivian stated in a disapproving tone.

She noted that the data-crystal had still not appeared, and the receptionist seemed to be looking around hoping someone would come.

“The crystal?” Vivian insisted.

“Here, Ms.” he said, handing over the crystal while still hoping someone with more nerve would come and face her down.

“For your information it's Miss, but the culturally appropriate honorific is Maam.” Vivian said, quickly instructing her wrist unit she wanted to lock the recording, not play the thing.

“Thank you for the information, Maam.”

“Lilly, can you give me your I.D.?”

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

“Here.”

“So, for the moment, both of us need to give access, and since the young man here can't allow us to access the editing station I see he has unused behind him, and it is too public anyway, we'll have to just encrypt the whole thing. No, actually we can encrypt the audio and video separately. When someone needs access, we'll have to find some private editing station and let them have the bits they need to see or hear.”

“I'm glad you thought of this.” Lilly said.

“Oh, I was warned by my supervisor that things might be a bit lax here. I didn't think they'd be quite this bad.”

“Urm it's normal government procedure Maam, to call someone in every time...”

the receptionist floundered.

“Yes, I see. Much too inconvenient to protect people's fundamental rights, is it? The United Nations, however should have better standards that 'It's easier this way'. Well, at home your supervisor would be on report, but I guess things are different here. By the way, Lilly, now you've passed interview, any thoughts about that paperwork I mentioned?”

“Paperwork? Oh! Well, I presume I need to sign some complicated form, or something.”

“Why? We've got your details. Oh, sorry, you don't know. As an officer of the crown your statement to me in such matters is binding and irrevocable. But there's no need to feel rushed.”

“I'm sorry, Maam.” The receptionist interrupted “Did I just hear you state that the interviewee has passed interview? That's not your decision to make, Maam. The interview needs reviewing and...”

“I'm sorry, you seem to be thinking that your bureaucratic yet lax procedures apply universally. I know you have your systems, but I've interviewed the interviewee on behalf of the United Nations and my Government. I leapt through the frankly disturbing hoops laid down by the U.N. functionaries to keep you happy, but as an Officer of the Crown, I declare that she has passed all requirements necessary for my government. That declaration could be challenged in the supreme court, but has similar legal weight to a court ruling, so I do not make it lightly. You sir, have no authority to prevent me from extending to her my government's offer, nor does any other official in your chain of command.”

“I possibly do.” said a voice behind her. “Depending on who instructed her to make that offer.”

Vivian turned, and recognised the man behind her. She bowed “Mr Ambassador.”

“Truthsayer. Welcome, I'm sorry I missed you when you arrived.” he turned to the receptionist “As I was saying, I might have the authority, but since I'm here to implement the offer, if accepted, there's no way I'm going to prevent her from offering it.” He turned back to Vivian “Was your identity compromised at all? Any information shared that might help identify you, I mean?"

“Yes, sir. And we have both claimed privacy."

“Well done. We can't have people accidentally breaking our laws and revealing your identity or abilities to anyone else, can we?”

“My thoughts exactly, sir. I've decided I would like to raise a formal protest at the final element of what I was asked to do as part of the interview process. I complied, partially anyway, thinking it was no more than an extension of an interview technique I've used before. But having done it....” she shuddered. “I should have terminated the interview beforehand. It infringed on my oath as a truthsayer.”

“This is obviously something to discuss elsewhere. But, Lilly, do you agree with the truthsayer's assessment?”

“It was not pleasant, sir.” Lilly said “The Truthsayer is adamant that it was not necessary, but... I do not fully understand her logic. I also wonder if it was sufficient for the purposes it was intended.”

“Very well. Do I understand a formal offer has been made to you?”

“Yes sir. I acc..”

He interrupted. “Before you say anything, I would like to be convinced you know that you're aware of all the options. Might I invite you both to our embassy for lunch?”

“Thank you, sir, urm, I wonder if we should authorise access to the recording for someone?” Lilly asked.

“Oh, I don't know if that's necessary, or is it? Oh probably, let them have their procedures.” He turned to the receptionist. “I presume we're waiting for someone from assessment to turn up?”

“Yes sir.”

“And then the ladies here will need to select the relevant portions of the interview, and so on. Could they not have access to an editing station now?”

“I don't have the authority to allow that, sir.”

“Then call someone who does, young man. I assure you that an officer of my country's crown is not going to destroy evidence, if that's what you're worried about.”

An official from the assessment department eventually arrived and, once everything had been explained to him they were led down the maze of corridors to that department's domain.

The man, a 'Grade 4 assessor' according to his badge quickly agreed that he had no need to see the part of the recording where Vivian had revealed her face, attempting to regain Lilly's trust, and nor did he need the general discussion leading up to the test. He asked to be shown the video from when they were talking about the final test to when Lilly reacted. Watching it, and asking some pertinent questions, he finally said “The test was, ah, mostly well administered, Ms. I agree there is no doubt that the subject” (Vivian and the ambassador winced at his choice of words) “was in a state of panic. I don't know if I can say one hundred percent certain that she has fully rejected the role which her sending state considers her to have, I'll have to consult my superiors. I fully reject your assertion that the technique you administered was needlessly brutal, Ms. I saw no evidence of excessive force or other abuse. Actually, I think you were rather gentle with the subject, and you calling off the test before the breaking point was reached might be determined to invalidate it. The deception and shock tactics were entirely necessary in the circumstances. You were obviously distressed by the situation, but you are in no position to assess the necessity of such shock tactics when dealing with a double agent, or the level of realism necessary for such a simulation to be effective.”

The ambassador was quick to intervene “Before you respond to that, Truthsayer, may I ask which division of Internal Security you are an officer in?”

Vivian calmly replied “Auditing, sir.”

He let out his breath, which he didn't know he'd been holding. She did know what she was talking about. “And your exact position?”

“Junior analyst, sir.”

He nodded, she didn't come across as a trainee or apprentice. “Mr assessor, I appreciate you have no knowledge of our system. But I suggest you withdraw your statement that the Truthsayer is not in a position to assess the necessity of the tactics. She holds an equivalent rank to an internal investigation officer of approximately sixth grade. If it is her considered opinion that the technique was needlessly brutal, I'd say she knows exactly what she's saying.”

“I saw...”

“You saw precisely nothing of the mental anguish to which I subjected this young woman. You saw precisely nothing of the absolute chaos I caused in her mind. You have no appreciation of how deeply the forged memory I was asked to force onto her would have resonated with her well founded fears in a way that could give her nightmares for years to come. You are not equipped to ever understand how quickly such an attack can be made, how stunning it can be. With the shock tactics I'd used on her it was utterly impossible for her to avoid it. Hitting someone with such a memory takes much less than a second. It would be impossible for her to look away, shut her eyes, or apply any of the mental protections that her training has given her. The instructions I was given on arrival said I should use mind-to-mind communication for delivering the opening message and showing the forged film. I was told this was felt to be advisable as she was a hardened spy, able to see through forgeries. As I have never dealt with a spy before, I trusted that advice but in the second part I thank God that I saw how wrong it was before I complied, and I'd like to see the person who suggested it questioned about what they thought they were suggesting. I can see the reason for the first: I would have been entirely unconvincing as a native speaker. Whereas mentally, it is far easier to have perfect pronunciation.” Lilly nodded her agreement, and Vivian continued, “But I should have never been told to use anything but traditional methods to show the forged film. Can you tell me what you would call a method of deliberately causing pain and possible long term injury? It's my opinion that showing mental falsifications such as I was asked to show her ought to listed alongside red hot needles under fingernails. Furthermore, as I tried to point out yesterday, the whole exercise was needless. It has accomplished nothing positive, and even if I had gone through with torturing her, it would still have done nothing except allowing you to tick some boxes on your forms and subjecting her to abuse. If I'd been thinking more clearly yesterday you'd never have got me to agree to it, I am a truthsayer, not a liar or a torturer.”

“Ms, I acknowledge your expertise in the effects of the mental images. I assure you it would have accomplish something: it removed all trace of doubt that she was hiding something from you.”

“But that doubt is in your minds, not mine, sir. You called for a truthsayer, but you then ask me to lie, a thing I am sworn never to do in my role. You refuse to allow me to make the judgement of my profession. You'd have believed me if I said she was hiding something, but you do not when I tell you she hides nothing. You ask for her human rights to be abused, for no purpose at all.”

“Truthsayer,” the ambassador asked. “As a junior analyst, what is the probability that I am corrupt in some manner?”

“I don't know the exact statistics for ambassadors, sir, but for high civil servants the statistic is about quarter of one percent, sir.”

“What about this man, who seems to believe he holds the keys to life and death? Level four assessment is roughly equivalent grade to someone with two years of fieldcraft behind them.”

“About one percent, sir.”

“The probability that Lilly is a really working for her home government, and deceiving us all?”

“I could lie, and say it is a zero point zero one percent, sir. But I've lied enough today, it's not. If I said that the probability that the moon is made from cheese, Elvis is still alive and serving pizza on the corner just down the road, or that Pontius Pilate was crucified by Jesus were all zero, I guess I can't quite go that low. I'd say the probability that Lilly is working for her home government are roughly the same as the probability that Prince Albert is. I admit I'm guessing at his Royal Highness, as I haven't interviewed him on this matter, but I don't think he's had much interaction with Lilly's government, so I think it probably balances out. That, sir, is the truth.”

“I don't understand how you can be so sure.” The ambassador said.

“I find it rather suspicious that you are so certain.” The grade four assessor said.

Vivian looked at him, and noticed a little tell-tale mark on the lapel of his jacket. Yes. She could use that. She decided to count dots again, to be sure. Number of Christians in the room: three, her, Lilly and the man behind the desk.

“I am a truthsayer, Mr Assessor. But first and foremost I am also a servant of the Almighty God who will judge the living and the dead: Jesus Christ who has paid the blood-price that bought your salvation. Upon my faith in God I swear to you that my sister in faith Lilly shares our faith and serves Christ wholeheartedly, the U.N. with little reservation, and does not serve the godless regime that sent her here one bit. I doubt my assessment of her loyalties only as much as I doubt the existence of God who saved me. That is to say, I do not doubt her at all. But I know there are those who doubt even though they are saved, and many who doubt that God has the power to save or the will to do so. The U.N. asked for my assessment of this woman. I have given it verbally, and I will give it in long-hand triplicate if that is required. I was also instructed to offer citizenship to her and her brother if she passed my interview, which she did, and that duty I have also fulfilled. So can we please terminate this little farce?”

“Did you just base your assessment on my faith?” Lilly asked.

“No Lilly, I based my assessment on what I heard you thinking, and your body language too, once you'd relaxed.” Vivian said, then adding silently, [And just to be sure, I double-checked on what I could see you thinking, too. So please try to stop playing devil's advocate. He doesn't need one, I know you're not lying to me.] aloud she added “You want God to make the ground open up and swallow your country's Great Leader and his entire regime, so they can roast in Hell for all eternity. If you remember I've been trying to persuade you to wish for them to repent of their sins in sack-cloth and ashes instead, which is more in line with Scripture.”

The assessor was looking at her with a mixture of emotions on his open face, as he tried to work out how she'd known he was a Christian. “OK, I give up. How did you know I'm a Christian?”

“Your lapel badge has fallen off or you've taken it off. I guessed it might be a fish symbol. When I mentioned Jesus, you nodded slightly in agreement. I notice such things, which is something I was trained to do in my role for Auditing. You also decided I couldn't be too bad if I was glorifying God, which I heard of course. Just now, you also decided that you couldn't work out if I was one of the fifty six. Just for your information, according to my sources, the number's fifty seven right now. Are you still suspicious about how certain I can be about Lilly after spending the whole morning with her?”

“No, Ms, I guess not.”

“Do you accept that I can actually do my job, and tell truth from fiction?”

“Yes, Ms.”

“I'm so glad. I hope you can convince your supervisors of this also, if not I'll just have to convince them as well.”

“So, what shocked Lilly?” the ambassador asked Vivian.

“Pardon?”

“When you were telling Lilly how you'd decided she was innocent, you paused for a breath and something rocked her back on her feet so badly she forgot to hide it.”

“Oh, that? I decided to tell her something. All thought hearers hear decisions that affect them, you know, within a few metres. I'm reliably informed that it's something the diplomatic service are planning to make use of: the diplomat or whoever can walk within a couple of metres of the thought-hearer they know and decide 'I must tell Fred — the thought hearer — that Jim needs to leave now, his cover's in trouble.' And with the decision, the message is passed. In this case I decided to tell Lilly that she should stop playing devil's advocate. Maybe she hadn't realised that she was, or wasn't familiar with the expression.”

This time, Lilly managed complete control of her expression, and nodded, “That's what she thought to me. Is the expression common here?” she asked the assessor.

“Not very, I guess.” he replied.

“So, is everything settled?” The ambassador asked.

“Not if the Truthsayer is serious about her allegation that she was asked to torture someone.” the assessor replied.

“I am. I also find it... concerning that the suggestion was made at all.” Vivian replied.

“Could you explain that?” the ambassador asked.

“The sending of images is not the most well known ability of a thought-hearer. I believe it's been reported somewhere, but it's not widely discussed as far as I know. It's almost insider information, and what was suggested to me is known in insider circles, as a torture method used by criminal thought-hearers to extract information from thought-hearing victims. It was that realisation that made me refuse to continue.”

“So, you'd like to know how the person making the suggestion came up with it?” the ambassador asked.

“If I was conducting the investigation, yes.”

“That's not my department.” the assessor said, “But you can write in your concerns. Here's the form.” He handed her a pen and an actual paper form.

“Really?” she asked.

“Ms?”

“I really need to write it longhand? There's no opportunity to type it or anything more... digital?”

“Sorry, Ms. Pen and paper it is.”

“Very well,” she started writing. As she got to the relevant boxes she said, “Of course, I have no signature in my role as Truthsayer, and my true identity is protected by my homeland's law, so I'm not planning to negate that by signing it under my personal name, or giving my address other than via the Association of Truthsayers.”

“How about a digital signature on a photograph of the written form?” suggested the ambassador, who'd met similar complications before.

“That would be acceptable, Ms.” the assessor agreed.

Vivian shook her head in amazement, and finished the form.

----------------------------------------

“Thank you for your assistance, Mr Ambassador.” Vivian said as they left the building.

“All part of the service, Truthsayer. You realise I was there officially.”

“I assumed so. I was some part of an experiment, I presume?”

“Yes. You also realise that I know who you are, since there aren't many junior analysts from Auditing assigned here, and I've met the others.”

“That's not a surprise, no. But since Lilly's invited me to her Church, and I fully intend to accept, there's not much harm her knowing my name.” Vivian touched hands with Lilly and thought [It's Vivian Trevithick. I know you can keep secrets.]

[Nice to know your name, Vivian! And you are number fifty seven?]

[Well, it's not like God assigns us numbers, you know?]

“And, now she knows it.” Vivian concluded, “But while I'm wearing this mask I'd prefer no one used it.”

They'd been crossing a small park at the front of the U.N. building, and had arrived at the boundary, where some trees provided a little shelter from the wind. “Can we wait here for a little?” the ambassador asked, “I'm expecting to meet someone I hope Lilly trusts.”

“Oh? More people looking after me?” Lilly asked.

“Exactly. Now I know you almost accepted our government's offer, but we don't really want you deciding something and then having second thoughts.”

“Was what we went through typical of U.N. bureaucracy, or this country's?”

“A bit of both. But don't worry, every country has its own sillinesses,” the ambassador said.

“And yours is expecting a rock from space, and has been accused of becoming a theocratic state.”

“Oh don't, please, not that total misunderstanding again.” the ambassador groaned.

“It's OK, I read your explanation carefully.” Lilly reassured him.

“Oh good.”

“I don't think you're right, but I listened.”

Vivian turned to Lilly, “In what way don't you think the explanation is right?”

“The ambassador spoke about all religions as being equally valid, equally helpful. As someone who has escaped from a personality cult — a religion centered on one flawed individual, which might still come after me with lethal intent, then I very much reject that axiom.”

“Ah, well.” he replied “The religion Vivian so forcefully claimed earlier for the two of you is centred on one individual too, isn't it?”

“I'm glad you didn't say flawed, sir.” Vivian said. “It gives me hope for you.”

“I have no intention of crossing words with you, Truthsayer. I suspect I wouldn't win.”

“Well, it's not quite the fear of the Lord.” Lilly said, “But I think I see some wisdom in that.”

“Are you quoting? You've lost me.” Vivian said.

“Oh, sorry. It's from Proverbs, I think, 'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.'”

“I haven't got to that book yet.”

The ambassador looked at Vivian curiously. “Do I understand you're new to your faith?”

“I rejected my old religion and turned to God on New Year's Eve, sir. I've had some good people around me to answer my questions, though.”

“Might I ask what that religion was?” he asked, curiously.

“I used to be a witch, a worker of spells, sayer of curses, corrupter of youth, destroyer of innocence, summoner of demonic power, and arrogance incarnate. And don't think it was all smoke and mirrors and slight of hand, it wasn't, not at all. That's another religion to add to the list of ones that don't contribute much to a caring society.”

He was taken aback. “I, urm, had no idea...”

“So, please don't tell either of us that all religions are equal. My old one pretended to be about being in control. Control of myself, control of others, control of nature.” She shuddered “All lies of course. By the time I left it was all about dancing to the tune of demons — though of course they pretended to be beneficial spirits — and slowly destroying my humanity. I really must write to thank that girl again.”

“Who?” Lilly asked.

“A teenager who laughed in my face when I told her that the spirits I served were more powerful than God.”

The ambassador was saved any further discussion along these lines by the arrival of Dwight, with a hesitant Laura tagging along.

“Hi, Lilly. Welcome to the free world.” Dwight said.

“Thanks Dwight, I thought I'd been here for a while.”

Laura spoke “I'm sure it's not the right word, Lilly, but congratulations on passing.” Laura said.

“Thanks.” Lilly looked at Vivian “I won't say it was easy, but I've got a new friend.”

“Hello.” Vivian said. “Oh, this is awkward!”

“What?”

“So, how do I keep my anonymity if I go around getting introduced as your new friend when I'm wearing this truthsayer mask, eh? Is there anyone watching us, do you think?”

“We're shielded from the building.” Lilly offered.

“Not much traffic, either.” Dwight agreed.

Vivian checked for anyone actively watching her and found no-one. “Right, here goes.” She removed her mask and Lilly saw her do something complicated, reaching up inside the cape. By the time Vivian had finished — only half a minute, she no longer had a dark red woolen cape with a black silken lining, she now had a black woolen cape with a scarlet trimmed hood and lining.

It had been why she bought it — the cloak had been made with four layers.

“Ta-da.” she said, also pulling off the wig she'd worn and hiding it away with the mask. Letting her own hair out, she said, “Please don't call me anything other than my name now, or all this was in vain. I'm Vivian, pleased to meet you!”

“Dwight and Laura, as of the restaurant experience.” Lilly introduced.

“I'd guessed.” Vivian said.

“I'd best be going.” Laura said, “Just, when Dwight said he'd be meeting you here, Lilly, I thought I ought to come out.”

“Thanks Laura. Very much appreciated.”

“If you've no other plans, you're welcome to join us at the embassy.” the ambassador said. “I can even clear it with your head of department if you like. I'd like Lilly to have a free and fair choice when it comes to passport selection.”

“Oh! You mean it's not automatic?” Laura asked.

“She applied to the U.N.” the ambassador said “Technically she could choose to be a citizen of any U.N. country she likes. I suspect Vivian has been doing a bit of recruiting already, but we wouldn't like Lilly to get her nice new passport without having heard at least a few other people extolling the virtues of their political system, would we?”

“Or their social care model, education system, and so on.” Dwight added. “I have a lot of reading material for you, Lilly, if you like, as well as a nice colour-coded chart and even a preference-based selection system. See — we're not just propaganda, Laura, we do make other information available too.”

“So, if I said I wanted free university education for my brother plus good medical and retirement care irrespective of personal wealth, what would your scoring system recommend?” Lilly challenged. “Not forgetting freedom of religion, association, respect for privacy, and so on, of course.”

Dwight scratched his head, “Doesn't sound very capitalist to me.” he said unenthusiastically, “You certainly don't get that lot here. I'm not really sure.”

Laura added, “If you find such a place, let me know, Lilly, I might want to ask about emigrating, as long as they speak English.”

“Oh yes!” Dwight asked “How do you feel about language learning? You've learned English really well.”

“I'd put up with it, but if you asked my brother that, he'd probably ask you how you felt about another hole in your head.” Lilly said, “My parents decided they needed to give him intensive English exposure because he was falling behind, apparently.”

“O.K. So... English speaking, with a welfare system and...” Dwight racked his brains.

“Dwight, have you noticed that Vivian and her ambassador are grinning all over their faces?” Laura asked.

“What is this, a put-up job?”

“Not at all, Dwight.” Vivian said, “But as civil servants from our part of the world have a habit of saying, 'It all comes as part of the Service.'”

“Well, yes, yes, you get benefits while you serve, certainly. But how many of your civil servants stay until retirement?”

“You haven't kicked out that many, have you Vivian?” Lilly asked.

“No. One or two bad apples, but not many at all.” Vivian noticed their confused looks. “Sorry, I work for the internal investigations part of the Service. Our oath of service is for a lifetime, Dwight. Without so much shuffling people around as I've heard about here, either.”

“So, Dwight.” Lilly said, “Thanks for bringing the information, but maybe I've already got an answer that suits me fairly well. Assuming I have a chance of entering your Civil Service?”

“I'm presuming you're not thinking of continuing as a spy, are you?” the ambassador asked.

“I don't think that'd be a particularly healthy choice, no.” Lilly agreed.

“I really don't know. Except, of course, if you continued in your current roles, but from within the civil service, then that could be negotiated to form part of our contribution to the U.N.”

“I'll admit to being a little confused, but it sounds interesting.”

“OK, so, let's talk in practical terms what it would mean for you, other than a cut in your salary. Laura, would you be able to help in our deliberations?”

“Urm, yes, sure, assuming you can arrange it with my boss.”

----------------------------------------

As the transport arrived and they got in, the ambassador, Jim Right, said “Ah, Vivian? “.

“Yes, Sir?”

“Call me Jim, please. As far as I know, the staff don't know anything about who I'm inviting, but my wife knows I've invited a trustworthy ex-spy and a truthsayer. I don't think she'll have too many problems guessing who's who.”

“So, I can put my mask back on and preserve my anonymity, until someone mentions auditing, investigations, or similar, or I can say oh well one more person in the Service who knows my abilities. I presume she's in the civil service?”

“Yes she is.” he said, deciding that he ought not to tell them what branch she was in.

“Did you hear that, Vivian?” Lilly asked.

“I did. You need to be careful what you decide around us, sir.”

“I knew that. It's hard doing it though, isn't it?”

“I'm reliably informed the trick is to merely toy with ideas without actually making the decision. I've no idea how well that works in practice. But if your wife's superior should happen to have a daughter that recently got married, I'm sure she'd say 'hi'. She's the one who I need to thank for meeting Lilly.”

“Which one? The daughter or the mother?” the ambassador asked.

“Well, I'm sure they'd both say 'hi', but I was thinking of the mother.”

“Oh, you know both then?”

“Yes.” Vivian said, then realised that maybe she shouldn't say too much about talking to Karen since her conversion. “It just so happened that I sort of gate-crashed a New-Year's Eve party the daughter had been invited to. I'm not quite sure what they were planning for their midnight celebration, but we were part-way through the three lads in the fiery furnace when we realised we'd missed midnight.”

“This is after the boom?” Lilly asked.

“Yes, I guess an hour after, maybe a bit more.” Vivian agreed.

“'The boom'?” Laura asked.

“After my car went boom, which was about one minute after I became a Christian,” she saw they had almost arrived at the embassy, “But I guess I might as well tell everyone at once if you think your wife might be interested, sir.”

“Why won't you call me by name, Maam?” the ambassador asked.

“I don't know, Jim.” Vivian replied, with a little smile.