ME Sandra Morton stared at the beaten remains of Carol Walker. Sam stood just behind her, peering over her right shoulder.
“It’s the arm isn’t it, Sandra?”
“Yes. My examination tells me the woman most likely suffered the amputation post mortem…”
“Thank God for her sake,” Benson interrupted.
“…So why the need to desecrate her body further?” Sandra continued her thought without acknowledging Sam’s remark.
“So you’re saying there’s a 100 percent certainty she died before the amputation?”
“Nearly 90 percent would be more accurate. She may have been in an unconscious state from her head injuries and died unaware her arm was being torn off. Nevertheless, I’ve concluded this woman died from blunt force trauma sustained by repeated blows to her cranium and facial area. And I believe most if not all the cranial injuries were sustained from her head being slammed against the bath’s walls. Sharon managed to pull the faintest drops of blood from the ceramic tiles, telling me the woman’s head was thrown into them. Additionally, several small fissures can be found in the tiles. Now if Mrs. Walker had suffered the injuries from a fist or even a weapon, there should have been substantial arterial blood splatter on bath’s tiles.”
Sam nudged himself between Sandra and the body, smiling.
“What’s with the Cheshire smile?”
“I’m proud of you. This is your first autopsy.”
Her immediate reaction was to place her arms about Sam’s shoulders, but in a split instant, her eyes became cold. She awkwardly drew her arms down to her sides and stammered “thank you” turning her attention back to the cadaver.
Sam’s eyebrows rose. Maybe this autopsy was rougher on her than I thought.
“I’ve just wonder…” Sam paused and began to walk towards the opposite side of the autopsy table. His eyes squinted into small slits. He stared at the body for a moment.
“How could all this damage be inflicted in such a short span of time? I just spoke with Flavin and he only recalls standing outside the locked doorway for a few minutes at most. So in that time, somebody had the time to hurl a body about the room, banging her head and face against the bath’s walls, in complete darkness, without the aid of sight mind you and then be able to summon the strength to pull her arm” – he made a jerking motion with his arms as if imitating the gruesome act – “out of its socket. What’s more the perp accomplished all of this without leaving a shred of DNA and then – ” he snapped his fingers for emphasis “vanished into thin air.”
“That seems correct.” Sandra arched her eyebrows. “What are you getting at?”
“I believe our murder weapon may be the murderer himself. And furthermore, considering such factors as strength and quickness I can only draw one conclusion.”
Sandra began to fold her arms across her chest. Her eyes were piercing, defying Sam to complete his thought.
“An artificial being committed this crime.”
Sandra bowed her head and shook it from side to side.
“What Sandra?” Sam paused to slap his hands together. “It makes perfect sense. No DNA left behind. Even if the perp was lucky enough to leave behind skin cells, tell me how a human could inflict such damage.”
Sandra’s chest heaved. “That’s not really my job anymore.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re the detective in charge. So Sam, by all means, make all the suppositions you want, but in the end, only evidence will bring the killer to justice – not hatred, not prejudice.”
“I’m not being prejudiced.”
“Really?” A sarcastic grin washed over Sandra’s face. “I think your assumptions are based solely on an incident that occurred nearly four years ago. It sounds like you’re profiling to me.”
Now Sam wore a sarcastic smile. His cheeks reddened.
“Come on Sandra. It’s a viable conclusion.”
“I know you’ve always had a problem with following protocols Sam. But now you’re in a very influential position now. If you condemn anyone without hard evidence you’ll be setting a precedent here.”
“Well maybe I should. I was just discussing protocol with the communications officer and I think it’s time we developed our own set of protocols for Ceres.”
“You’d be violating intergalactic rights and breaking laws if you did Sam. Ceres isn’t yet in a position to write its own laws.”
Sam fell silent. He cast his eyes upon the floor.
“So you do know what I mean?” Sandra continued. “If you go to arrest any one of our planet’s artificial beings you’ll be freeing the real killer. Think for a minute Sam. The bill of rights back on Earth hasn’t been amended yet. It’s still in progress. So that means you can’t arrest an android or any AI. It would be like trying to convict my laser scalpel. Until they’ve been recognized as sentient beings they’re to be treated accordingly.”
“So you see how the colonists might be afraid of these beings. They enjoy immunity right now.”
“The only thing I can see is how people make themselves be afraid.”

Gods of the Machines