Tau Ceti (an Ell Donsaii story #6) Read Free Page A

said leaning out and peering about.
    Dex could not help but admire Qes. Tall , h andsome Qes with the golden yellow wings. Not as beautiful as Syrdian but close. However, the Qes that Dex knew always acted as if hie were bold. Hie didn’t appear bold now , standing between the boles of two trees , darting hies head this way and that looking for the talor.
    “The talor is dead!” Syrdian said beginning to run toward Qes.
    “Dead?” Qes said, “What happened to it?” Rather than move out from the trees to meet Syrdian, Qes waited where hie stood .
    Syrdian reached Qes and threw arms and wings around himr.
     
    ***
     
    Wilson Daster walked to Donsaii’s office with some trepidation. Now that his eponymous comet had been disposed of he’d developed a—he hoped irrational—fear that he would be let go as superfluous. Donsaii had claimed that they needed someone with his forensic accounting skills but he couldn’t imagine what for? D5R had divided itself into three organizations, none of which were very large. Apparently they were all funded by a venture capital organization of some type and, Daster thought, th at VC group must have an accounting firm checking up on things?
    So, now that his comet was dealt with, and there didn’t really seem like there should be a need for someone with his talents in an organization like this, he worried that she was going to tell him that he was no longer needed. “Yes, Ms. Donsaii?” he said stopping outside her door.
    Ell raised her eyebrows, “‘Ms. Donsaii?’ I thought you were calling me ‘Ell’?”
    Wilson ducked his head, surprised again to be so intimidated by someone so much younger than he was. “Uh, sorry, Ell. You asked to see me?”
    She grinned, “Yeah, come on in and close the door, please?”
    Daster’s heart sank. He stepped in and closed the door that rumor said was always open. Probably closed when she was giving bad news, he guessed. He sat and raised his eyebrows attentively.
    “I want to tell you some stuff that no one here knows, not even my good friends. I need you to reassure me of your complete discretion. This stuff needs to stay between just you and me. Is that OK?”
    He nodded, spirits rising. This didn’t sound like the prelude to a firing, though he had no idea what it might preface ? On the other hand, why would she tell him secrets?
    “I want to warn you that I consider your agreement, as recorded by our AIs, to be an enforceable contract?” She raised her eyebrows questioningly.
    “Yes Ma’am. I agree.”
    “OK, I’d like you to pop the chip out of your AI (Artificial Intelligence) headband so that the only recording of our conversation going forward will be on my AI. It’s much more secure than yours.”
    Raising his eyebrows, Daster pulled off his AI and popped the PGR chip out of the back. Laying them on the desk he looked up at Ell expectantly.
    “OK, first thing for you to understand before you start investigating our finances is that the ‘investors’ that are supporting D5R and the companies splitting from D5R are essentially myself and the employees of D5R . Those employees, like yourself, all have shares accruing from their employment.”
    “Wait! Where’s all the money coming from? What you’re describing is like a snake eating its own tail. You can’t finance an organization like this from the paychecks paid to the employees!”
    “I have a lot of money.” Ell said quietly.
    “From endorsements?” Daster said, thinking to himself, they’re spending millions, endorsements can’t possibly pay for that!
    “From the PGR chips.”
    Daster’s eyes dropped to the chip he’d just pulled out of his AI headband. “I know they’re based on your paper, but…”
    “I patented the chip technology too.”
    Daster’s eyebrows went up again, “So you’re getting royalties?”
    She nodded.
    “And you’re the majority shareholder in D5R and subsidiaries?”
    She shrugged, “99% owner at present.”
    Daster stared