Pleione

Dec. 11 - 12 - Zenobia, Pleione District


I couldn't sleep.

Two things Brooke had said had stuck with me and, as is often the case, they germinated in the small hours of the night.

I climbed of my bunk in the middle of the night and padded across the cabin floor to my desk.

Finding a secure channel I sent Brooke a message: "Brooke, the contact that tipped you off on the obsidian smuggling... do you trust them? Also when you called Sentry 'your man' ...do you mean your crew-man or Your Man? Call me. Pep."

I asked the first question because I had to test the hypothesis that it was a trap to snare Brooke's crew. If her source was trustworthy, it was a point against the theory.

I asked the second question because I was still trying to discern why Sentry was arrested in the first place. Was he simply at the wrong place at the wrong time? Did someone have a grudge against him? or against Brooke? The reason may be significant or trivial, but there was a reason.

The message sent I headed off to the galley for some warm milk. I hate it when I can't sleep.

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The return message was waiting for me in the morning. It read:

"No, I don't trust the contact. But I had to find out what was going on. I can't tell you who it was, but it was someone not exactly in my circle of friends. Sentry isn't my man in that way. He's a good friend of mine. Someone I would trust with my life. He is .. my dearest friend."

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I took the time to send the proper forms to Londinium requesting court transcripts and documents pertaining to the recent arrests. Knowing how slow things work in a bureaucracy, I also sent this message:

Message to Tillery Woodhen, CEO, Cortex News Service
From Major P. Siamendes, SIU, Alliance, Zenobia

Hello Mr. Woodhen. Will CNS be covering the arraignment of Sentry Swashbuckler? I would be interested in a copy of the court proceedings, in addition to any observations you or your staff might find note worthy. Thank you.

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I received this note, followed by the promised dispatch.

Message to Major P. Siamendes, SIU, Alliance, Zenobia
From Tillery Woodhen, CEO, Cortex News Service
"We're getting dispatches from Londinium. I'll forward them on."

====Londinum Government Press Release====

Verdict for Trial of Londinium Terrorist Bombers

"LONDINIUM - The Trial of the Londinium Terrorist Bombers Mikie Rhiandra and Sentry Swashbuckler continued late this afternoon after Alliance Federal Judge Thadius Wirefly spent the day carefully debating their fate....."

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I read the dispatch over twice then used a secure channel and sent this message to Brooke: "Have Sentry's lawyer subpoena Sve________ to make a deposition. My sources say that she was hired by Wirefly to arrest Sentry. Wirefly acted as judge at the trial. Show there is a connection and this is grounds for declaring a mistrial and launching an appeal."