Debriefing

Dec. 27 - Zenobia

Back from Eavesdown Docks I met with my aide. We had a lot to cover now that the investigation was out of the preliminary phase.

"The Colonel contacted me this week," I began, "We have the green light to proceed with our internal investigation into the actions of Commander Faith. There are risks. We are investigating our own after all... and powerful well-connected people... but it looks like maybe illegal genetic material is being traded, possibly drugs, and murder, of course. But while we are investigating him we may uncover some other information..."

My aide was optimistic. "If his actions are not in the best interests of the Alliance. Him, and his powerful well connected people will be 'Corrected'," he said.

"Indeed," I replied, "How well connected.... how far this extends... we just don't know."

"They will find a scapegoat when it goes high enough," he said, "It will end there. Officially."

I nodded darkly.

We set to work in earnest. Together, we began by reviewing various aspects of the case and the evening's events.

"The crowd at the docks today," I said "It is like they had never seen Alliance Purple before."

"I was becoming concerned," said my aide.

"I was glad to have you at my back."

We discussed the nature of the crowd further. It seemed to be made up of primarily locals.

"...and then we spotted the unidentified individual," he added.

"The man in the pressure suit was Brooke's backup," I explained.

"Stealth weave is against the law in civilian hands."

My aide was so 'by-the-book'. It was refreshing.

"Small beer compared to what we will have to face," I remarked.

-----

We worked well into the night.

I was still in my uniform. The warm bath Suzanne had offered me back on Persephone was so far, far away.

"Svetlana Pleides," I stated, "was hired to arrest Sentry Swashbuckler."

"When?" he asked.

"After the nuke," I answered, "She told a friend that someone named Wirefly hired her and that she was given no ammunition. See what you can find out.... I'll send Manda to talk with Dr. Loordes and maybe exhume Sanders' body."

My aide had his answers already. "The mission Ms. Pleides was hired for was a dupe mission."

"Yes," I acknowledged, "setting her up as body count." At least that was the theory. "We need to know who is pulling the strings. This could be bigger than one rogue commander."

My aide continued, "Notifications were sent out looking for people to guard a new construction site."

"Oh?" I asked. "Where?"

"Standby," he requested as he checked his files. He found what he was looking for and elaborated, "Almost all of MacLaren's signed up. Cody, several others. Big money."

"Well good," I said, "Idle hands and all that."

"Cody and his bunch got off the transport. Sentry was never designated as a target."

Interesting. "Go on," I prompted.

My aide checked his records. "After the Cortex message was sent out on general band. MacLaren's and Shadow were designated as pick up points for a security job. Shuttles arrived at took everyone who was interested."

He went on to explain that the shuttle docked with a massive craft. The group was issued uniforms and weapons and told that there would be a quick training exercise to assess skill level. The group was then told that the remaining population were willing to participate in the exercise as the 'pirates' the group was to eliminate. Blanks and training ammo were issued before deployment to MacLaren's Drift and Shadow.

"It soon became obvious that MacLaren's folks weren't using blanks," he remarked.

I sighed, "Any casualties?"

"No."

"Good."

"In the confusion they took Sentry and I assume Mikie in the same manner," he added.

There were more details on Svetlana. It appears that she took a bullet to the shoulder. That she was hired on Shadow and seemed to be assisting with the passing out of the gear to the MacLaren's group.

My aide offered his opinion, "She wouldn't have gone down with blanks if she was in on it."

It was good solid information. It fit with the version Pluto had given me on Paquin.

"Can you get me a list of who was on that mission?" I asked. "Not this minute."

"Let me check my datafile," he replied.

"Okay, I think it's time I headed to my bunk."

"I'll check my files and let you know."

"Very good," I said, "Thank you." I stood up from my chair. It had been a long night.

My aide kept searching through his files.

"Here it is," he called out, catching me before I reached the door.

He offered me a thick packet. It was a transcript. Raw data from the field.

"Thank you," I said. I wish we could clone this one.

"That's the full incident," he explained. "Next assignment?"

"Asharoth Teardrop, a renegade companion with ties to Commander Faith. I'd like to know the nature of those ties."

"I have a report about Blue Sun to write up for you," he offered.

"That will be useful," I said. It was always good to hear what Blue Sun was up to.

My aide gave me a few details of what the report will contain.

"We can review anything you have," I said.

"Certainly," he replied, "Goodnight Major

"Goodnight Trooper."

-----


In my cabin, I did not sleep right away.

I had received a message that I had not yet filed. I wanted some time with it alone. It was from Commander Faith. He had sent it on a private channel while I was speaking with Brooke.

*comm* Collusion with the enemy is punishable by death. *stop*

He couldn't know about the official investigation yet. But he knew of me and of my connection to Brooke. He must have caught wind of us meeting.

No matter. It cuts both ways.

I was hunting now and I had my own rituals. Things I never share.

Alone in my cabin.

The lights out. My hair unbound.

I traced the letters of his message over and over with my tongue and my mind.

"...collusion with the enemy..."

I am yours.

I breathed him in, catching the scent of his madness, its shape, its form, its texture.

"...punishable by death..."

You are mine...

William.