"One of my reds want to know about someone who got arrested."

"One of your reds. What about them?"

"Whether they're dead."

"I don't know anyone -"

"Yeah but you're in Lakla right now right Kan said you were in Lakla right now and if she's not dead yet -"

" - are you imagining I should walk in there and demand they let her go, with what possible justification -"

"You're the genius."

"At knowing which battles to pick."

"Well. The email just asked whether she was alive so you can just check whether she's alive and then your obligations will obviously be discharged."

"If I can think of a reason I'll swing by."

He actually goes right over, once he's looked up the case and won't sound like an idiot speaking about it. Talks with Kan on the way over, makes a point of saying audibly "I just got here, I'll call you back" as he steps in. People appreciate it when you respect their time. 

He's checking in on that robotics case, heartbreaking, infuriating, if he could perhaps speak with the investigating officers at their earliest convenience...

What, all of them?

"Ideally whoever's following up on making sure we got 'em all but if they're busy - or showering -"

He gets sent to a grey on the case who didn't touch anything at the scene. "What can I do for you, sir?"

"There's going to be an internal investigation into how it leaked - there always is, and it never gets anywhere because the trash alone knows and they're all dead - I don't suppose there are any in a condition to answer questions?"

"It came quietly, I don't think anybody did more than give it a couple thwacks, should be able if it's motivated."

"I might have a couple, is there an arrangement such that I could pose them? - and see its face, unfortunately that's helpful to me."

"It's in a holding booth, they're easy enough to clean we don't have a separate thing for reds."

Nod. "That's fine. What'd this one do -"

"Somebody looked through one of the rioter's everythings, it was talking to at least that one recently. Not 'go kill a roboticist', but like, 'how many eggs did you want' 'four' and that's the floor of the building the poor green was on..."

"Uh huh. If it won't impede your investigation I do want to speak with it."

"Sure. This way."

There'a a booth. It's got a barred glass window and an audio pickup.

And that is the girl Isel asked about, yes. "Not dead yet," he'll tell her, "but not coming home," and then he'll go home himself -

- he could lie, say he wants to track who she talks to and she should be let go for that purpose but it's one more connection he has to the issue he cannot afford to touch - and later if there's reason to call his motives into question - 

- there are sixty-five million of them. 

He taps the audio pickup. "You hear me?"

"Yes sir," comes a soft dull voice.

"Were you informed of the crime in connection with which you've been arrested?"

"No one has even told me what this is about, sir."