OPPOSIT-ION: MAKING SK-ISLAND

POWER REDIRECTION

Matter 1. The interrogations.
"So. Who is left on our list of suspects?" Jude was going over the interrogation chart, and it was filling out fast. The three agreed to all go first through the process. It was a simple, friendly confrontation, and everything was monitored closely. Jude and Shinrah had 'borrowed' some of the bio-sensors from an unused bedroom and were misusing them. Simple questions, straight answers, and a hyper-sensitive make-shift lie-detector system that any real intelligence agency would be jealous about. The two ladies and the professor quickly cleared themselves. The results created a good baseline against which to compare the rest of the island inhabitants' reactions and responses. The questions were simple and direct.

1. "If you are discovered as being dishonest about any of your answers, do you accept that you might be killed?"
2. "Are you now or have you worked with the university or other organizations to spy on anyone or their work?"
3. "Are you now or have you ever lied about any background information you provided for any reason?"
4. "Are you 'completely honest' in all your dealings with everyone here on this island?"

Jude was the author of the first question. She felt the need for a factor of fear introduction before any of the other questions were asked. The fear of death was an old but effective motivator, even if everyone knew it was only a scare tactic. The human body responded subtly, even if the mind was strong, with rare exceptions. They quickly identified three people with integrity issues. Lisa's mom, Lisa, and one of the maintenance men that had stayed on from the construction crews.

The maintenance man had been involved in installing monitoring equipment many times throughout his career. He knew this was a form of spying beyond any essential oversight. Still, he was clean concerning being part of the island crew. At every follow-up question, he was honest and quickly cleared himself of all suspicion. He also offered to help identify any new changes he might become aware of in the island oversight status that the university might intend as covert. He enjoyed his island duty and would do what it took to stay there by their graces. He was dating one of the house staff and wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that situation. Love is a more significant motivator than fear.

Lisa was just a child, but history is replete with children recruited to commit terrible acts, sometimes killing the child due to their actions. In this case, Lisa wasn't honest about sneaking sweets, washing her hands after using the toilet every time, and brushing her teeth as often as she was told. Sometimes others were complicit in her crimes. Lisa felt bad about those acts, worse about lying, and worse yet at admitting it now. Jude comforted her and let Lisa know it would be their secret. Lisa's mom would never hear it from Apple Jude. That left Lisa's mom as the final possibility, and her interview didn't go well at all for her.

Her name was Shannon. She was a good mother, a fantastic chef, an average painter, a fun dancer, and a lousy liar. To the first question, at least, she answered honestly. She said "no" to it. To the other questions, her answers were all blatant lies. It was hard for Jude to hear the lies. She had fallen in love with little Lisa, Shannon's daughter. Lisa was taught how to catch fish at the beach while Shannon was now interviewed. Lisa's mother was in a load of trouble now. Deep trouble. Others had failed to answer some questions truthfully, or their truthful answers were the issue at hand. That all got settled to everyone's satisfaction. Shannon would be allowed to explain herself in full. Then her 'fate' would be determined. Jude now talked in detail with Shannon about the problem that brought this line of questioning.

"So, simply put, we can tell if you are lying. Even then, the truth may still carry heavy consequences. Did you, or did you not, spike our food with things provided to you by some oversight administration from the university?" Jude kept the lie detector right out in the open for Shannon to see at the same time Jude did. A lie, the truth ... they would both know together. At least now, Shannon started being honest with them. Getting a good reading concerning the truth of her answers became difficult. She was terrified in multiple directions all at once. She conspired with people behind Jude's back to do bad things. She did it instead of reporting it to Jude. She lied about it to Jude once she had been confronted. How could she make any of that right with Jude now?