Jim, I admit it was a bit hard to read this story because of all that technology stuff. I'm sorry that's just not mine. However I give you kudos for thinking up all that funky, futuristic stuff and for picturing it in a way that even I (total technophobe ) got an idea what it was about. The investigation at the crime scene had at least something left from the nowadays applied procedure. DNA, photography (these video things?), inspection of the body.

I think however the procedures applied by the Guild are rather unrealistic. It is simply impossible to solve a crime like that in twenty-four hours with no witnesses, obviously faked of what little evidence was left, etc. As I got it the inhabitants of the planet are a mix of humans and technological devices.

That implies that at least the human mind is still left. Humans act out of emotions, unregular, sudden impulses, not rational as the Guild supposes them to be. This impulsiveness of the human mind is always the criminal's weakest point because sometime it betrays him and he unconsciously exposes himself. But a software is not able to catch the endless variety of motives, memories, images and emotions that influence someone who commits a crime and therefore makes every crime unique although certain patterns may repeat themselves.

Therefore it's no suprise that Jessop finally cracks the case rather without technology but with intuition and empathy. The whole time he appeared like an emotionless, uncaring robot to me, but in these last lines when he finally thawed up I also began to like him because I was finally able to make a connection to him. In the end this story turned up to be one that deals with the oldest emotions known to humans: revenge, malice, fear, challenging the investigator.

Congrats on making first place. If you're interested that was my try:"Switched" . No technology, only good old straight psychology and combination.