Tea with a Companion

July 2 - Eavesdown Docks

"Anyway, I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody's around--nobody big, I mean--except me. And I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff--I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I'd do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it's crazy, but that's the only thing I'd really like to be. I know it's crazy." - J.D. Salinger, "Catcher in the Rye"

-----

**Private channel communication**

"Hello Miss Tereshchenko, this is Major Siamendes. Will my gown be ready soon?"

Calina Tereshchenko answered, "It is ready now if you are nearby."

"Excellent," I replied, "I am on approach to Persephone."

"We will see you soon!" she promised.

-----

"Matthew!"

Sentry Swashbuckler looked up, "Oh, hey there."

I was just stepping out of the Port Authority building on Eavesdown Docks when Sentry passed by.

"Nice to bump into you," I said with a smile.

"Likewise," he smiled back, "Keeping busy, I hope?"

"I'm on my way to meet someone," I remarked, "Do you know Ms. Tereshchenko?"

"Miss Calina?" he asked "Yes, she's a very well known resident here. Did you need directions to her Tea House?"

"Would you care to join me?" I countered.

Sentry nodded, "Would be happy to."

"Excellent," I said, "What are those syringes on your leg?"

He looked down, "Stim and antibiotic concoction for emergency use. Been asked to be available for medical emergencies if needed on the Docks."

"Ah very good," I grinned impishly, "So you are a medic as well as a mechanic .... and a lawyer."

He laughed, "Not as much lawyer as just being logical. That's really all it is, far as I think." He looked directly at me. "Not unlike yourself."

I shrugged, "I am just an investigator. I was lucky to have found a job I am good at."

"Shall we head to Miss Calina's?" he asked

"Yes please."

We set off through the winding alleyways on Eavesdown Docks. A shortcut, Sentry called it. I swear, I still don't know the direct route to Calina Tereshchenko's residence.

"And here we are...." he said. We came to a halt next to the tea shop.

"Wonderful, thank you for being my guide."

Sentry nodded, "Always my pleasure. I'm sure we will be seeing each other again soon."

I could hear Jade's voice drifting down the alley. "I don't understand you loving me like a sister and... I have never had a friend before. No, not true, There was Billy, He was another moon baby I use to work with sometimes scouting gas holes in the mines with. But he ...he got careless one day and got blown up."

I addressed Sentry, "You don't have to run off... I am simply picking up an item."

"Wish I could stay," he replied "but I have to get things checked on.... Brooke is unavailable for a few weeks, so I'm helping where I can."

"Very well, " I smiled and gave a quick nod, "Thank you again Matthew."

"Take care Maj.... I mean, Pepper," he said returning the smile.

----

"Hello..." I called out.

Down the passage close to the dressmaker's shop, Calina and Jade stood talking.

"Major!" answered Calina, "Good to see you! I got your message and your dress is ready. I hope your trip to Persephone was uneventful."

"Yes, thank you."

Jade blinked and stepped back behind Ms. Calina but gives a small curtsy.

Calina looked over her shoulder, "Jade, Pepper isn't going to hurt you or haul you away. Come inside and we will get the dress boxed up."

Jade nodded but waited for us to go inside first.

I could see my gown hanging by the window. Glorious red satin. Magnificent. The other dresses in the room paled by comparison. I am sure my enthusiasm for my new acquisition must have shown.

Calina smiled as she lifts the gown from the nearby rack and draped it over her arm, "I think it came out beautifully."

"It looks beautiful," I agreed, "Did the alterations take long?"

Calina shook her head "I don't think so. Jade did most of them."

I turned to the young albino woman, "Thank you Jade."

"Yurelcome," squeaked Jade. She blushed.

Calina chuckled as she gingerly folded my dress in tissue paper and placed it in a large white box, "I'll be sure to send Jai the bill."

I let out a breath. "That is generous of the Consulari," I confessed.

"She sent a coffee set that I have yet to set up," added the Companion.

"The last time I was here you mentioned that there had been some trouble recently..."

Calina nodded, "I was held up at gun point and the tea house robbed. One of the two robbers has shot at me twice. Marshall Ishtari has been by to interview me twice."

"And has the Sheriff or the Marshall been successful in apprehending those responsible?" I asked.

"No, they have not," answered Calina, "They are a part of this gang run by a Dan McMahon. The Marshall implied that someone I know may have tipped them off since she used to work for McMahon. She is first mate on Raivenn now. That is just shy of crazy talk and I nearly told him so."

"So any idea as to the motive of those involved?" I continued.

"One of the robbers mentioned spice. I had some in the safe. At the time, spice was hard to come by due to the refinery fire."

"Ah," I remarked, "and is that what they took?"

"That, rare coffees and tea, and all the paper credits and some platinum I had on hand... total value was over 10,000 credits. I guess - some of them really cannot be priced accurately."

"Is the tea house repaired?" I asked.

"Finally. The upstairs still needs some work."

"I'd love to see it."

She nodded and smiled, "Follow me."

-----

Calina and I walked to the building next door. A rough exterior perhaps but inside warm and welcoming.

Plush cushions surrounded a low table. Rich drapery graced the walls. A golden Buddha sat serenely in one corner. It was as relaxing as any place I have seen a Companion call her own.

She explained the sign. "'Tongdu' means Unification and Independence... I thought it was a great name... appropriate for Persephone."

"Yes. It is very pleasant." I spoke of the tea house as a whole.

"They blew out the door of the safe upstairs," she reported, "but left the gold Buddha alone."

"Fortunate," I remarked.

"There was another matter that I wanted to mention," I began, "and perhaps it is best now that Jade is still in the dress shop. Sometime ago my ward, Lynx, was shot here on the Docks..."

Calina looked over at me, her brow lightly furrowed "Yes, I remember."

"He is fine now, thankfully," I added.

"Yes," she remarked, "I saw him on Al Raqis."

I continued, "At that time he gave me some information, that albinos like Jade were being used in the illegal organ trade as mules. It is possible that the person that shot Lynx realized that he had that information. I wanted to speak with Jade about the matter ... but she is rather nervous around me."

Calina Tereshchenko knelt down at the table. "Excuse me," she said, "I need to sit down."

"Of course," I replied and took a seat on the cushion opposite her.

She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, "Jade is... determined to go. She believes she is helping her town."

"Go on," I prompted.

Calina finally opened her eyes, her words measured and precise, "From what she said, a Dr. Collins - who used to be a physician to some parliament members - stated her physiology was perfect to raise new organs. They promised her an education at a school in the Core. For a girl from a dirt poor mining moon... it must be a dream."

I tightened my lips as I listened. So often are people lured into danger with the promise of delights. It is a crime itself. A despoiling of dreams.

"They sent her here," she continued, "and when she was attempting to change boats, she was robbed. We were talking about the return of her bag when you came in last time."

"So is she carrying ... organs, I mean?" I inquired.

"Her own organs," replied Calina, "As best as I understand - they will take hers out - grow a new set for someone who can afford it - and they are supposed to put them back."

"Things like that rarely end well...." I sighed. "Any information on these criminals.... on this Dr. Collins as he is called.... it would help shut their operation down."

Coffee thieves. Gangsters. That was a matter best left for local law. Organ trafficking with links to Parliament, this perhaps I could help with.

Calina started to pick at the placemat, "I agree. I sent a wave to my father. He was the General Counsel to Parliament. He did not respond to my question as to who Dr. Collins was. I am not convinced they will do what they will say.... but just keep her in the hospital and pumping out organs."

My mood darkened at the image.

"Yes.... well, sometimes an investigation is more successful when not confronted head on. Instead of trying to find this Dr. Collins ... let's see... hmm, where was Jade supposed to go?"

Calina chuckled "I didn't say why I was asking... only that his name came up in a conversation."

"Of course," I replied, "I am thinking out loud."

"She doesn't know," replied Calina, "It was written on a note in her pack. She hasn't shown me that since it was returned. Jade cannot read. I assume it is either Osiris - a number of Parliamentarians live there and major medical research facilities at the university or Ariel - hospitals."

I nodded. "A note...do you recall the type of paper? handwritten or printed?"

"I've never seen the note," she replied.

"And this was the bag that was stolen..."

Calina reached forward and poured two cups of tea. A civilized thing to do. Sensible with a topic so stressful. "Yes. But it was returned with as far as I know all the contents inside. She only showed me some photos of home. And her music player - she was very excited to get that back."

"Where is her home?"

"An out of the way mining moon I had not heard of. Past St. Albans."

I smiled warmly, a genuine attempt to be comforting. "She seems like a sweet girl. She is lucky to have found a friend in you."

"She is darling... sweet, kind... a view of the world that is amazing," she smiled and nodded, sighing again, "Thank you."

"Was the note inside the bag before it was taken?" I asked, returning to my inquiry.

"Yes," replied Calina, "she said it was in a box that held her credits to pay for another passage. It had the name of the boat she was to find. I've since put the credits in the bank for safe keeping."

"And the name of that boat?"

"Again," she answered, "I don't know. Jade can't read and I haven't seen this note."

I nodded and reached for my green tea. "Who took the bag? Do we know?"

Calina twisted her cup back and forth in her hands, staring into it, "Another passenger. She fell. He swooped in behind her and ran off with it."

"How was it returned?"

The Companion sipped her tea, only stating, "It was at the boutique one day."

"It is possible that the other passenger read the note...." I mused.

"That's true," she replied.

"So let's back this up," I reviewed, "Dr. Collins tries to lure Jade with all sorts of promises if she will carry organs for him. We don't know how she was first contacted."

"That's right," she answered, "I do not know. Perhaps on some sort of medical mission... there to care for the miners and communities."

"She had a note with what? instructions? She kept it in her bag."

"Yes, she said she did."

"...and she still seems intent on seeing this through," I repeated.

"They told her that by doing this, she pays the town debt - for the equipment they need to start a farming community above ground. So, to my mind... there is someone else... who set the whole deal up."

"And if there was another means of paying to town debt she wouldn't have to go through with this," I suggested.

"Yes, I believe so," she replied.

"How much is the town debt? Do we know?"

Calina shook her head, "No idea."

"I am sure you are right," I remarked, "there is a broker somewhere...middlemen, what have you."

As I sipped my tea, I paused to consider the shape and texture of the situation Jade had found herself in. The scent of the possibilities.

"I will look into the matter," I said finally. "Meanwhile if that note surfaces.... that would be useful to see."

I set my cup down.

Calina smiled with relief, "Thank you, Major. I appreciate any assistance... on behalf of Jade."

"Well," I smiled as I rose from my cushion, "now that I have found a seamstress, I don't want to lose her."

Calina chuckled as she stood up.

"Thank you for the tea, Miss Tereshchenko."

"Anytime, Major. Please feel free to stop in when you are on Persephone."

"Thank you, I will. Please contact me if you hear of anything more."

Pleasantries exchanged, I gathered up my package and stepped out into the evening air.

I could hear Jade in the building next door as I walked away. "Iskrin! You bite at your sisters feet one more time and I will tie your little beak closed."

The Barrel

May 24 - Eavesdown Docks

*encryption starts*

To Major Pepper Siamendes, Special Investigations Unit, Alliance Military, Zenobia.

As a famous writer once said, "The reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated."

By now, I hope that you have had time to find the true terrorist, as I am not the person the Alliance is looking for, and neither is Mikie. I don't know how I can prove my/our innocence, but I am willing to try.

I don't know your position on my situation - only what Brooke has hinted at. I think Brooke overestimates your willingness to let things slide - after all, you are bound by law to do your job.

In any case, I wish to meet with you regarding recent events, and see if we can come to an understanding regarding my situation. I am tired of hiding from injustice.

Respectfully,
M. 'Sentry' Swashbuckler

*encryption ends*

-----

They called this place the Barrel. A fitting name, as in "shooting fish in a...." There was absolutely no cover. A strike team could waltz in the front door and pick off anyone in the room.

Forget guns. Just roll a few concussion grenades down the steps and you would be scraping off the walls for weeks. What a death trap.

My escort and I descended the metal steps.

Brooke was here. Alone. Sipping her drink at the bar.

"Hello Captain," I said with a smile.

She noticed me coming down the steps and gave a little laugh. "Well, hello there," she said turning around and standing up.

We hugged.

Then she looked over at my companion, the one from Special Forces. "Friend of yours?" she whispered quietly. She would have recognized the uniform I'm sure.

"This is Soara," I introduced him, "Yes, he's one of mine."

"Name's Soara," said Soara with a smile.

Brooke gave him a nod. "It's a pleasure, sir, I'm sure. Captain Brooke."

She turned to me and added, "I have things to tell ya. And questions."

"Okay let's sit," I replied.

"I'll, uh...hang here case you need me," said Soara. He parked himself at the bar with a good view of the entrance. At the first sign of trouble he could duck under the landing. Strike anyone coming down the stairs.

I thanked him.

"I won't shoot my old roommate," Brooke joked as she looked at me with a smile, "who else would I blackmail?"

Brooke and I settled at a table near a Chinese screen and to the closest thing this structure had to a corner.

If there was trouble, Brooke and I could duck behind the corner. From there we could offer suppressing fire while Soara held the stairs and put pressure on the entrance. The three of us could perhaps hold the room until some sort of reinforcement appeared. What a dismal scenario.

Brooke began, "Does the name Chance Gott mean anything to you?"

"Chance... no, can't say it does. Who's that then?"

"I didn't either," she added, "not until a few months ago. So, remember you used to call me spoiled brat for being an only child ? Apparently I wasn't ... well I was at the time ... Anyway. Chance was my half brother. He died when I was about six."

"I'm sorry," I replied. I had two older brothers. The second oldest, Hector, had died during the war.

"Hard to really mourn someone you never knew..." She sighed a bit. "Anyway.... he was a slave trader, murdered. Though according to the local papers of the time, it was an accident."

"Half brother through mom or dad?"

"My mom .... she apparently had a kid before my parents were married."

I nodded, "How did you find out?"

"What matters, is I'm finding out some interesting information." She blushed a bit. "Two things. One ... he had apparently between five to eight children. I'm not 100% sure. Either way, I'm trying to find out more information about where they might have been taken. I have found a few."

"Eight children! Wow, suddenly a big family."

Brooke shook her head. "No no .... they weren't his. They were kidnapped .... for some sort of experiments."

The room grew cold.

"Experiments... by whom?"

"Not sure. The oldest I found was 13, and she isn't sure. Just that they were sometimes painful." She sighed. "But there's one more thing I learned." She leaned in and whispered quietly, "It was being financed from somewhere within the Alliance."

I listened carefully, "So how long ago was this? You were six when he died."

"Twenty years...give or take a year," she said with a smile.

"And these people were children at that time."

She nodded. "All are adults now of course..... I've met two. They were both taken from their homes. Different worlds..."

"The trail may be a bit cold," I said, "but we can work with it. We will need detailed statements."

"Anything you can find out. I .... want to know what happened. Also, I can give you another name to look into if you don't mind. Magnus Verrazzano."

I took note of the name.

Brooke went on to address my remark. "I can give you some what of a statement, not sure how detailed. You know most people get a bit fussy around here when I give you 'detailed statements' Pepper."

"No problem," I replied, "I'm on the outs with the general public these days."

I continued, "That source of yours, by the way, that had information on the missing persons from Shadow, still has not been in touch."

"Funny ..." she said frowning. "I'll see if I can get ahold of him. I hope nothing has happened to him."

"You said you had questions?" I asked.

"I wanted to know ... your investigation ... about Tee .... the Faiths ... I learned today they are missing from Al Raqis all together ....I just .... want to know."

"Yes. It seems that after Doctor Wirefly was killed, William went into hiding, Lord Ascott closed up the estates on Al Raqis, and Judge Wirefly went missing."

"Went missing and probably dead? Or went missing and probably living off the blood of one of my crew?" she asked trying not to put too much anger in her voice.

"There is no evidence that they are dead," I said. More likely they were on the run.

"I thought there was an explosion..."

"On Al Raqis? Yes, that was just Tillery and William showing off."

I assumed she meant the series of explosions in Al Raqis earlier in the year - the Cortex offices, the Faith warehouse - rather than the recent trouble at the refinery.

"I mean ... oh," she said then shook her head. "Never mind." She sighed a bit. "I just .... am worried. Is Till alright? He's a reporter after all."

"He is mad at me... but yes, he is healthy."

Brooke raises an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Well, my murder suspect is a friend of his."

Brooke tilted her head. "Mind telling me who your suspect is?"

At the same time, I asked a question of my own, "So who is this Magnus?"

She answered my question, "Magnus apparently was involved in the slave trade around the same time. He says he saw the aftermath of my brother's crime. But I'm pretty sure he's lying. Things don't add up. He was hit with some sort of bomb so ... well I can't say he's pretty to look at."

I nodded, "Where does he frequent?"

"I'm not sure," she replied, "I met him in a place called the Wasteland. Rim of the Rim really."

"I'll see what information I can get you about him."

We stood up and prepared to leave the bar.

Brooke reached over and squeezed my arm.

"Another thing..." I added, "My team has been given the green light from Central Government to reopen the Aberdeen bombing case."

Brooke frowned, "The ... Shadow bombing?"

"No," I corrected, "the bombing on Londinium."

I took a breath. Time for trust.

"Tell him... he can come home soon," I said cryptically.

"Who do you mean?" she asked.

I leaned in close to her ear and whispered a name, "Matthew."

She blinked a bit then smiled. "I'm afraid I don't know Matthew very well, but I'll give him the message if I see him."

I returned the smile. "Good. I better get going. Stay safe."

"You as well."

Soara looked over as we drew close. "Are you ready?" he asked.

"Let's go soldier," I replied.

As we mounted the stairs, Brooke called out from near the bar, "And Pepper, you ever want to wear a different color...."

I did not have a reply for her. She was my oldest, dearest friend and it was hard for us being on two sides of the political divide in our fractured post-war world. She wanted to see me in brown. I wanted to see her back in purple.

It was our dance it seemed.

When we had reached street level, my escort from Special Forces turned to me once again.

"Well," he said with a smile, "that was...just relaxing."

Chaos Controlled

March 30 - MacLaren's Drift

The data container slid open with a satisfying click.

I smiled.

After meeting with my source I had decided to stay overnight in MacLaren's Drift and try my hand again at opening Ardra's files. The offices of the Consolidated Associate Traders of Zenobia suited my purpose as I could spread out on the floor, use the desk and so forth. And if someone happened to wander by, usually one look at the uniform and they keep moving.

My little chat with Mercedes Celestalis had yielded results not the least of which was an idea as to the password on one of the data containers. It unlocked on the first attempt. The file itself, 'Chaos Controlled', was actually quite slender. A few notes. A transcript.

Applying the same logic to the Lab 81 file yielded similar results.

The third file was easy to unlock now that I had the key. Last fall, I worked on a case that involved a set of specialized eyes and a cerebral chip to monitor them. I simply followed the same protocol that unlocked the first two files given that mobility was also a factor.

The contents of the third file included classified Alliance medical records, photographs and scans. I had seen these before. I took note that the more recent reports on this case were absent.

I was enjoying the moment, avoiding the greater question of how classified Alliance information ended up on the Heighliner, when Tillery Woodhen called.

"Hello, Major."

"Hello Mr. Woodhen. How are you this fine day?"

"Not bad," he answered, "Yourself?"

"I am well thank you. Just doing some paperwork..."

"They never talk about that in the holos," he replied.

I smiled. "I will have a press release for you some time soon on the body found on Gateway."

"Is it Wirefly?"

"We have identified him as the Doctor Wirefly involved in the apprehension of those accused in the Aberdeen Incident - Sentry Swashbuckler and Mikie Rhiadra."

"Any idea who did it?"

"I cannot, of course, discuss the details of an ongoing investigation," I said automatically, "I will say, off the record, that it is interesting that Doctor Wirefly was murdered then Judge Thadius Wirefly went missing."

"Were they related?"

"It is believed that they were brothers.... but that needs to be confirmed."

I should have the autopsy report soon.

I continued. "I am in contact with SIU Londinium. I can imagine that our mutual friend, Commander Faith, is concerned. Two of the main players in the events that led to the destruction of Shadow are either missing or dead."

"You think he did it? Or at least ordered it?"

"Or he is next," I suggested.

"Who else had anything to really gain from their deaths?"

"Some one could be cleaning up a mess. Events like what happened to Shadow... they are never the actions of one man."

"Which could just as easily be Faith. Or his father," suggested Tillery.

"Possibly," I acknowledged, "What do you know about his father?"

"Not too much. Though Jai Raghilda had a theory."

"Really?" I asked.

"I may have told you it before. She thinks Commander Faith is under the same kind of control as Mikie."

"An interesting theory, yes... but then we get back to who is pulling the strings?"

"Sedrick," he said firmly, "He was clearly in control of Mikie at that trial on Al Raqis."

"Then we will have to find out more about him," I admitted, "Though I doubt even if he had Wirefly or the Wireflys disposed of, that he would do the same with William. William's reaction will be a clue."

"As do I," said Tillery, "And I haven't seen William since the party on Al Raqis."

I paused. "Perhaps he knows a warrant has been issued for his arrest."

"Would that be enforced on Al Raqis?"

"Unfortunately no," I answered, "We have no extradiction treaty. However, with his arms dealing and your formal vendetta, perhaps the local authorities will see it clear to show him the door. My feeling is the he will fall back to his holdings on New Zion."

"Well, I never really got the paper work in on that..."

"Not to worry," I said cheerfully, "Enough happened to make people concerned."

I fiddled with the data containers.

"I have an unrelated question," I began.

"All right."

"If you had a locked file named 'Miscellaneous Files'...what would you use as a password? Generally speaking."

"I'd use my computer to pick one at random."

"Yes," I replied, "That is what I am afraid of... thank you."

As the words left my mouth, I noticed that the password to the Miscellaneous folder was in fact written on the outside of the container.

"Sorry I can't help you more on that," he offered.

"Not to worry," I said "I managed to get it open as we talked."

"Oh good."

"Please let me know if you in need of anything," I said.

"I will. And let me know if you need another meeting."

"Thank you."

The call concluded I settled back in the chair and began to read.

----

Controlled Chaos

File begins:

There's been word that the Alliance and Blue Sun are working on a new project, but no one is talking. Word is out that a special team of scientists are being asked to join them on Londinium for a project.

Notes:

Shipping and handling: The canisters are put into cases. Small and very well protected. No markings are needed. The box is unique, although the canisters aren't. These are the test canisters. Shipped out to special labs throughout the verse.

Special documents are sent to certain individuals where there’s high activity. Giving the commanders some idea of what will be happening in their sectors. Not all the information is there. But enough to let them know what the operation is and what they can expect.

The canisters carry the new PAX/Control agent. Each reaver has to be marked with a small tracker chip to keep tabs on where they are. It's also an on off switch. Think of a training collar.

The Alliance won't admit to any involvement. Blue Sun will say the scientists were working independently from one location.

A transcript follows. No names are listed:

"From what was gathered both at the labs and the aforementioned planet, I believe we can accomplish something effective. It'll make for a new viable commodity for military applications."

"Making throw away soldiers?"

"Not in so many words. More like expendable. The bonus here is, they can be used on sensitive missions, Such as cleanup or Ops where the military wouldn't have to admit their involvement."

"A black ops?"

"Wait, are you saying we have a go on this?"

"Well I don't like it."

"What's there not to like?"

"You're wanting to go back there and retrieve how many subjects for experimentation?"

"I don't like it on the grounds they're savages. How're we supposed to get them here? Where are we working and where's the funding actually coming from? Who's directing this project?"

"Good questions, all."

::Pause::

"To the first, we have a few subjects already in holding."

:: Another pause as the others in the room mutter.::

"To the second, We have the location already set, as you can see on your display. The funding is mutual."

:: Pause, as everyone speaks amongst themselves. A few aren't happy. They’re the ones we have to watch out for.::

"The directors are also listed on your display. Remember, you all signed the agreement. Anyone backing out now, has nowhere to go."

"We've already started the practical application. If you will refer to the next display?"

"You sent them to Blackburn?....."

The Congregation of the Dead

March 25 - NIV

"Give up your life completely to the task; sit daily for six hours in the Old Absinthe House, and sip the icy opal; endure till all things change insensibly before your eyes, you changing with them; till you become as gods, knowing good and evil, and that they are not two but one." - Aleister Crowley

-----

He was waiting at the foot of the stairs. The area was dark and isolated.

"Major." It was Macarthur.

"Trooper," I acknowledged.

"Where would you like me to be during this meeting?" he asked.

I sighed, "It seems my plan of having you nearby has fallen flat... I have to fly from the main station."

I had hoped to meet Ms. Celestalis in a public area, like the last time I was here, but with Macarthur nearby to back me up.

"Okay," he replied, "Can you keep the wave open during the meeting?"

"Yes. If there is trouble, I'll holler."

"I'll listen for anything unusual."

"Good," I acknowledged.

"Ma'am, I'll get there as fast as I can," he promised.

"Thank you Trooper. I'll head up there now."

Trooper Macarthur nodded trying not to salute and make things obvious to any observers.

"I'll commandeer a ship if necessary," he added.

I nodded and moved on.

-----

The offices of the Umbrella Corporation in this district were housed in a spherical craft some distance from the main NIV facility. The landing bay took up the topmost section of the sphere.

Ms. Celestalis was there to greet me when I arrived.

"I apologize for the inconvenience," she said, "Security is strict."

"I understand."

"Prying eyes are bad for business."

"Of course," I answered politely.

"Let me take you to the office," she offered.

"Yes please."

I followed her down to one level to a room that was the diameter of the sphere itself. The floor was carpeted in green. The room was dominated by several screens displaying system functions. There was a desk at one side with a row of jars containing preserved remains of various descriptions sitting close to one edge.

"Be good Schnookums," called Ms. Celestalis, "We have company."

I looked around for 'Schnookums' but could see no one that might answer to that name.

"Have a seat, Major."

"Thank you."

"Schnookums is the organ donor pig next to me," she explained having noticed my look.

"You're growing a nice set of lungs for Mummy aren't you?" Ms. Celestalis reached down and scratched the pig's head. "Good pig," she murmured and fed the animal a strip of soylent green.

I smiled kindly.

"You have quite a collection I see," I said acknowledging the row of jars on her desk.

"Yes, a few knick-knacks. Can I offer you something to drink or eat?"

"Oh no thank you, I have eaten," I said politely. I would rather starve, I thought.

The woman coughed into her hand as she sucked on her cigar. "Would you care for a cigar? They're Habanas."

"No, thank you."

"Take one for your C.O.," she insisted, "In case you need to curry favor in a weak moment." She coughed further.

"You are very kind," I remarked and took the offered cigar. "Thank you."

"You don't mind if I have a drink, do you?" she asked.

"Please go ahead."

She reached for a bottle containing a clear green liquid. Absinthe.

"Have you brought the item?" she asked.

"I have not," I replied, "I wanted to discuss the matter first."

"It is a straightforward matter, what would you care to discuss?"

I explained, "Aurotharius gave strict instructions that the item was to be used to influence the Replicant...."

She poured the green spirit into her glass as I spoke. It turned white with the water.

"...I understand that the project depends upon it," I added.

"I see and what is the intended outcome of said influencing?" she asked. "The navigational data of the Halo Asteroid field, c'est pas?"

"And a few other items," I admitted.

"You can ask Ardra if trading the brain in exchange for the location of her long lost asteroid surveyor is a fair trade or if you should hold out," she proposed, "So long as you do not reveal your sources."

Interesting. She is keeping secrets from Ardra.

Ms. Celestalis put some eyedrops in her eyes.

"I don't understand," I probed, "You support the project do you not?"

"I do, but I am not an unpaid volunteer." she said flatly. She put down the absinthe and picked up her cigar.

"Are you saying that your support is purely for financial gain?" I pressed.

"The project has little value if I cannot afford the end results."

"I see...and after getting me the brain on Ardra's order, why did you want it back?"

She answered, "I believe I can get more from it than you can."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Then the Replicant has been in touch?" I asked.

Ms. Celestalis opened a small vial, picked up some orange powder with her pinky fingernail and snorted it loudly. She then tasted her finger. "I'm sorry, did you say something?"

"Yes," I answered, "You feel you can get more for the cloned brain of Aurora, than I can. I asked if the Replicant had been in touch."

"Oh no, we have other assets in play, not just yourself."

I smiled warmly, "Of course."

She felt around for her glass of absinthe, "No, no, Schnookums, not for you. You have to stay pure for Mummykins." She pet the pig.

"A sweet piggy..." I remarked.

"From a champion line of organ growers," she replied, "Quite a pedigree."

"You mentioned a time frame on the survey ship coordinates..."

"It should be coming into range by Monday or Tuesday."

"Why offer them to me?" I asked, "Why not launch a salvage mission yourself?"

"I have more need of the brain than the surveyor," she said at last, "The surveyor only has some numismatic value to Ardra. Maybe some useful data for her. But I only use sentimentality, I don't trade in it."

I switched topics.

"What do you know of missing refugees from Shadow and Caliban?"

"I know quite a bit. Go ahead, ask me more directly," she fired back. "Don't dance around it. This is not the prom. You want to know, my price is that you ask me properly. Accuse me, get it out."

So I asked her clearly, "Are you involved with the detainment, sale and/or harvesting of missing persons from the colonies: Shadow, Caliban and Blackburne?"

"Close enough," she said firmly, "I am going to help you out."

I waited. "Go on."

She began, "If someone were to exploit the ravaging of Blackburne by reavers, how much advanced notice would it take ...for the specific scenario we are discussing?"

"It would depend on how big an operation," I said.

"Don't worry," she condescended, "I'll walk you through it.... Weeks."

"Fair enough."

"Do you think anyone has weeks notice on a massive reaver attack on Blackburne?" she asked.

"Unlikely," I admitted.

"And if we knew, then would not the guardians, your vaunted Alliance, could have evacuated or protected them?"

"These people are going missing from camps," I clarified.

She ignored my remark, staying focused on the reaver attack.

"So, if we knew, the Alliance knew and was criminally negligent... Does anyone ever get three weeks notice on a reaver attack? How could we get such notice? Three weeks is enough time to mobilize an armada on the cheap?"

These were rhetorical questions.

"So you are saying that there are members of the Alliance involved?" I asked, "And that you know this ...how?" I wanted her to articulate the connection.

"That is another story, we are only talking logistics so far. We are not Blue Sun, we don't have ubiquitous paramilitary assets in the rim. We would only know if someone told us. People only tell us if they want something....and that something would probably be that thing you are asking about."

"A corporation set to exploit such a situation could be in a state of readiness," I countered, "Setting aside the reaver attack, the attack on Shadow, you could see that coming if you read CNS."

"Troops were practicing ground maneuver in the Rim months earlier for the ground assault," she agreed.

"Okay," I continued, "I will ask then... what is the thing that the people who told you about Blackburne wanted so badly?"

She hadn't finished though. She wanted to make some things clear. "We were not called in for Shadow or Caliban. We knew about it, but we go along to get along. We don't frontrun our partners."

"I see."

"So we are really only really talking about Blackburne," she insisted.

"Blackburne it is then," I conceded.

She answered my question. "I don't know what they wanted, they just gave us a list. I have a few theories, but I am not going to test them."

"And in exchange, Umbrella could take what it wanted. What happened to those people?" I asked.

"What we wanted from these people could fit in a syringe."

Without another word she reached across the desk and opened a harvester case full of vials.

"What are these?" I asked, looking at the contents of the case.

"Blood, urine, stool, semen, eggs, stem cells, neural matter, the usual suspects. Have you ever met anyone from Blackburne?"

"Yes," I replied.

"Generalize about them."

"A hardy folk." Winterwolf came to mind.

Ms. Celestalis guffawed. "Yes. Any of them hairier?" she asked.

I blinked.

"Or strike you as different than regular folks?"

"I couldn't say." If she meant Lily, I was sure she was mistaken. The Alliance Medical Database indicated that Lily was born, if that is the right word, on Shadow.

"I thought we were speaking frankly and with candor. I am walking you through this like I promised. Don't make me go Socratic on you."

"Why are you telling me this so openly?" I asked. She must realize she was incriminating herself.

"You don't really believe in Mutants do you? That is laughably bad comic book pseudo-science." She dismissed the concept.

"I believe that genetic engineering has historical roots," I said. I would not be drawn in.

"Where is Ms. Zhangsun and Blue Sun's famous renegade geneticist from? Don't you think it might be more likely that someone was using Blackburne as a testing ground for genetic research and using these people for empirical data? And how else could the Alliance know about the reaver attack if they did not arrange it?"

"And you wanted access to the research..." I prompted.

"They were collecting their uppidty experiments."

"...or more accurately the test subjects..." I added.

"We were allowed to take samples in exchange for delivering the product," she replied.

"The product being what?" I asked.

"They have a generation of genetic experiments germinating there. The people themselves."

"You delivered them to where?"

"They staged some wild controlled chaos to cover their tracks... To the Angels of Mercy. But you knew that already."

"Operation Controlled Chaos," I said out loud.

And it was at that point that I realized what the password was to Ardra's 'Chaos Controlled' file.

-----

Ms. Celestalis got up from her chair and led the way to the spiral staircase in the center of the room. She unlocked the barrier to the lower level and climbed down the stairs. I followed.

She led the way to another large chamber. This one was also surrounded by screens. These screens were monitoring a variety of biological functions.

It was not the screens that dominated the room this time however. It was the rows of heads each floating in a preservation jar near the center of the room.

"Tsk, the boys didn't clean up well," she remarked.

Ms. Celestalis munched on her snack and looked over the heads. She pointed at the head of Adelei Niska as if we were examining celebrity photographs.

"These heads..." I began. The bile rising in my throat.

"Cloned heads, not harvested," she replied.

I shook my head, trying to take it all in. It was too hideous to register all at once.

"Cloned from the 'samples' you took from the people of Blackburne..."

"Some of them," she admitted.

"People you delivered to the Angels of Mercy..."

"There is a lucrative market in cloned replacement organs," she commented.

"If they are indeed cloned..." I felt the anger rise.

"The best ones are grown inside of expectant mothers," she remarked. "Hardly matters, it is all horrid."

I fought back feelings of rage and revulsion.

If I snapped her neck, I may never find the black heart at the center of this corruption. This thought was the only thing keeping me from taking the law into my own hands.

"And who in the Alliance was your contact for the operation?" I asked. I kept my voice steady.

"The Alliance was closing the door on their Wastelander experiments and the advanced orders wanted their product. You would have to ask the Angels of Mercy. We don't do retail."

"That facility was destroyed," I said.

"Then all you have remaining is an internal affairs investigation? Is that above your paygrade?"

"Duties as assigned," I answered. She didn't need my job description.

I was done here.

"I will be in touch," I said, "Thank you for your hospitality."

"A pleasure. Would you care for some Soylent Snaps for your trip back?"

I chuckled and turned to go.

"We get a special professional discount from them," she added.

I'll bet.

"Thanks," I replied, "but I'm trying to cut down."

Alliances

March 3 - MacLaren's Drift

"If you listen carefully to what he says and do all that I say, I will be an enemy to your enemies and will oppose those who oppose you." Exodus 23:22

-----

The windows, stained and broken. The yard in front, empty except for some garbage that had collected in the corner.

A lot has happened since the last time I entered this bar. Last time I was making a simple arrest.

I stopped at the door and scanned the room.

The crowd was smaller this time. Three people I knew. Brooke, Dex Argent, and Cody Winterwolf. And three people I did not know, a man and two women.

This was where Brooke's crew hung out. The last time I saw her, she asked me to stop the investigation of William Faith. Tonight, we would talk. But not about that.

And this time I wouldn't be arresting anyone. Not even Cody.

Someone noticed me because as I approached the group I heard the woman in a black dress speak.

"Wrong people Brooke?" she asked.

Another woman, this one in green, turned to glance in my direction then turned back to the others. As I walked to the center of the room, she nodded in a polite way. "Ma'am."

"Evening Major," greeted Dex.

Cody Winterwolf simply eyed me and said nothing.

"Good evening," I called, addressing the crowd.

"Pepper..." said Brooke.

"Hello Brooke," I replied.

She smiled a bit. "It's been a long time. How's the Core? Still making us out to be bloodlusting criminals?"

The Woman in Green muttered, "We ain't?"

I was non-committal. "Well, the Core is still there... I've been far afield though."

Cody Winterwolf cocked his head.

Brooke Rhea nodded. "I'd like to talk to you about a few things. Would you like to sit?"

The Woman in Green nonchalantly took a few steps to the side uncertainly, blocking my line of sight to the other woman. This one was brave, protective of others. Make a note of that.

"That would be good," I said answering Brooke.

I glanced around the room for a table then followed Brooke to the L-shaped sofa. It was worn and soft like an old leather shoe. I sat down heavily and sank into the couch.

The Woman in the Black Dress stood quietly, trying to blend with the scenery.

Cody Winterwolf frowned then grumbled, "I need some air..."

"Cody ..." Brooke started then let him leave.

She turned to me, "You ever thought about wearing something other than your uniform? Get people a bit riled up..." She just looked at me and stayed standing.

I exhaled with a smile. "Then how would people recognize me?"

Brooke smiled a little. "Your pretty face?"

I chuckled.

The Woman in Green however muttered something under her breath that sounded like 'the stench.'

"Anyway," began Brooke, "heard some rumors... some I think you should hear."

"Go on," I prompted.

Dex paid close attention.

Brooke sighed. "Well, there's been some rumors that the refugees from the recent attacks, well. That they disappeared."

The Woman in Green arched an eyebrow, but remained silent.

"I've heard that too," I said. Something I had read in CNS a couple of months ago. "Anything of substance?"

Brooke continued. "Seems that there are a few that believe they were taken by some factions of the Alliance. Not the .... official parts of course."

The Woman in Green frowned. "Loyalists?" The word burst from her like a curse.

I thought otherwise and said as much.

"Either way," mediated Brooke "Some have been sold for slaves, others for experiments. I have a source who has been trying to track them all down ... but ... he needs help."

I nodded.

"You have your ways ..." added Brooke.

The Woman in Green scowled darkly, looking away, her brow knitted in anger.

"Tell your source to contact me," I offered, "or he or she can go through you."

Brooke looked at the others. My presence was clearly not adding to the general comfort level of the environment.

"I'll do that," she said "I want to help those people..." She gave a little smile then glanced at the Woman in Green. "I know you can trust us to do what we can to help you, as long as you help us."

Dex Argent looked cool and relaxed.

The Woman in Green shook her head at apparently nothing. The Woman in the Black Dress glanced at her.

"Any idea how many missing?" I asked.

"The number is an estimate," answered Brooke, "From a couple hundred to a couple thousand. No one really knows. Many lost their families, so no one is looking for them."

The man I did not know, a new crewman it seemed, crossed his arms and listened along.

"All from Shadow?" I asked.

"Some from Caliban a few from other worlds," replied Brooke.

"What worlds?" interrupted the Woman in Green.

Brooke continued, "There are even rumors this has been going on long enough some are from Blackburne."

"That was no rumour..." I stated.

There was a growl from the Woman in Green. Her eyes flared open.

"I found the evidence," I continued. "I've been after who was responsible for months."

Brooke frowned. "Then you have an idea?"

The Woman in Green spoke, "Name, pur...Ma'am? I just need a name."

I turned to her, "I can't pin it to one person...but I'd say it was likely an organized ring."

"Well," said Brooke, "if you need any help from us.. . we're here. Unofficially of course."

I nodded and gave a tight little smile. "It may come to that," I said.

The Woman in Green's gaze jumps back and forth between Brooke and me. "Lemme know what I can do t' help." Her words were very clear and enunciated, even with her dialect.

I gave them more. "There is a ring of organ harvesters..."

Brooke winced. "What? I .... My god. People no, no limit."

Dex took a step back and nearly fell as he tripped on a shoelace. He caught himself with difficulty and asked, "Organ harvesters?"

"...Ardra Aurotharius is one name that keeps cropping up... but I can't prove it." I continued.

"I can see if any of my contacts have heard of him," said Brooke "This Ardra... what circles he run in?"

"Blackburne's.... was... my home," the Woman in Green frowned.

"Well that's the thing about Ardra," I replied, "She seems to run solo."

"Mu Draconis, isn't it?" It was Dex.

I looked at him.

"Yes Dex.... how did you know?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I have business in Al Raqis. The rumor mill runs smoothly there. This so-called person has a presence there."

Brooke blinked. "You mean there's a organ harvester on Al Raqis?"

The Woman in Green signaled to Brooke, nodded to the others and walked from the building, her anger swelling to rage.

"Aurotharius is there," said Dex "Dunno if it... he deals in body parts."

Brooke shivered. "Not sure what's worse .. being a slave or being body parts for some rich bastard who spiced himself almost to death."

"Ardra is in the transshipment business at least," I continued. "Also keep your ears open for the name Mercedes Celestalis...."

"Yeah," replied Dex, "Heard that one, too."

"...she works for the Umbrella Corporation," I finished.

"Mercedes," mused Brooke, "heard the name I think ...." she shook her head. "Though not sure where. Umbrella... what do they do?"

"Well, on paper it's called research." I said nothing of the reanimation experiments.

"The one that Lily and Kitten were all heated up about," said Dex.

"You think that's where the bodies are going?" asked Brooke.

"A link in the chain." That was safe to say.

Brooke raised an eyebrow. "They make kitten..." she then made a little circle by her temple.

"Kitten is... special," added Dex.

"Tell me about Kitten," I began.

From outside, standing near a window, Cody Winterwolf growled.

"Nothing about Kitten," said Dex "She just gets all excited about things she hears."

Brooke looked at Cody's window then back at me. "It's ... yeah."

I pulled a face, "Right. Then why did Winterwolf growl?"

Brooke just gave a little nod. "Uhm, right, he was clearing his throat." She then shook her head. "Let it go Pepper."

I let it go.

She rubbed the back of her neck. "How is the investigation against Faith going?"

"Well I have some good news for you and your crew," I said.

Brooke smiled. "We could use good news..."

"It seems the story checked out about the obsidian. Your people are in the clear."

I didn't tell her that it was Sentry's testimony that cleared her crew or the fact that the father of her children was now implicated in trying to frame them.

Brooke let out a sigh of relief. "Well, that's good. Though you knew it all along. I'm not into drugs, neither are any of my crew. We wouldn't do that..."

There were smiles all around this time. Relieved, the new crewman wandered off to check on the ship.

Once he had left Brooke sighed and said, "There is one more thing. We ... uhm well there was a group. They said they were from the Alliance. Someone, called himself Wind. He decided to arrest me. Worked me over pretty good too...."

"I've heard of him," I said, "Claims to be connected with Intel."

Brooke nodded. "Though with their lack of uniforms and manners, I'd be surprised. We both know Sanders was Intel.... he never went around taking hammers to knees...."

"He seems to think he can get 'Intel' by working over women," said Dex.

"Yes, that's not Intel," I had to agree.

Dex nodded. "That's assault, plain and simple."

Cody muttered from his window, "Huen dahn..."

Brooke Rhea nodded. "Just wanting to make sure he had no 'official' premise. So I'd be self defense to shoot the bastard next time."

"Just in case he runs afoul of someone he can't handle, if you know what I mean," added Dex.

"He's no Alliance that I know of," I said. Not part of my command chain at least.

Brooke smiled. "Thanks..." She gave a nod. "I'd say drop by sometime and see the twins .. but ... " She just shrugged.

"But what?" I asked. Was there something she wasn't telling me? Were the children okay?

"But... no." said Dex.

Brooke Rhea looks back at Dex. "We should have a meeting at Eavesdown. I ... I'll be sure to let my contact know how to get a hold of you."

"How are the little ones?" I asked delicately.

Brooke Rhea smiled a bit. "They're fine. Cute lovable monsters."

I smiled in response. They're okay then.

"Dex is wonderful with them..." she added. "Couldn't ask for a better Daddy."

Dex Argent looked at her and then smiled. I smiled at them both. Lots of smiles tonight.

I got up from the sofa, a little stiff.

"So, you okay?" asked Brooke noticing the movement. "Haven't had any problems ...?"

"I'm okay... a little sore," I admitted.

"You get in a fight?" she asked.

"No, just a little problem in transit." I brushed off the question.

Brooke raised an eyebrow. "What kind of problem?" she pressed.

Instead I answered, "I've been out in the Halo looking for someone..."

Brooke tilted her head. "Anyone I know?" A pilot of her calibre, I wish she had been with me.

"A research vessel from Albion....missing a while back."

Suddenly, I had a thought. "There might be some salvage there," I suggested, "for a good crew."

Brooke raised an eyebrow then nodded towards Cody's window. "Cody is our salvage expert."

"Oh?" I asked "Much experience?"

"He has lots." Brooke smiled. "All legal of course," she added.

"Hey, it's salvage..." I said with a shrug. Would that life was so simple that the worst thing I had to deal with was illegal salvage.

"Well, you all stay safe," I said.

"Thank you, Pepper..." replied Brooke.

Dex nodded. "We try. Uphill battle, sometimes, but we try."

"And you take care of yourself," added Brooke, "Keep me informed."

"Tell your contact to get in touch... or like I said pass the info through you if they are skittish." I added in an undertone, "Nasty business, slavers."

Brooke Rhea nodded a bit. "I understand. And I will take care of it..."

Dex grumbled something unintelligible.

"Did they give you anything that might help me get started on it?" I inquired.

Brooke shook her head. "I'm afraid not. Just that they have camps on various planets. But once I have more direct info.. I'll pass it along."

"Good," I said with some finality, "Okay ... see you later."

"Fly safe, Major." said Dex.

"Thank you Dex," I replied and I made my way out the door.

Gateway

Sept. 25 - Gateway

"Foreknowledge cannot be gotten from ghosts and spirits, cannot be had by analogy, cannot be found out by calculation. It must be obtained from people, people who know the conditions of the enemy." - Sun Tzu

-----

It the skies above Shadow orbit two space stations. Serenity Station is an Alliance facility and houses the customs office for the region. Gateway on the other hand is a neutral station and sees a great deal of traffic both commercial and military.

It was here that I again met Jai Raghilda, owner and operator of Necessity Shipping and trade delegate for the Consolidate Associate Traders of Zenobia. It was easy enough to arrange to be here when she passed through. She had to file her route on any official business.

As I approached she greeted me, "Ma'am"

"Hello Ms. Raghilda."

"Coincidence finding you here," she replied. "We run in the same circles it would seem."

She knew I was looking for her. She must have known. "Did you receive my message?" I asked.

"Yes Ma'am."

"Excellent. Do you have a few minutes to chat?"

"Sure, I don't depart for a little while yet. Fueling and transhipment."

"Very good. Let's take a seat then shall we?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

We settled ourselves in one of the lounge areas on the promenade.

"Pardon me for being in casual clothes," she said. "We don't usually uniform up until we get closer to the Core."

"Of course."

"We really should when we are in Gateway though," she continued.

"The Trade Association has always set it's own protocols around such things," I replied.

"The protocols are Uniform in the Core. But I think this should be considered that border. Just a thought."

"First, let me congratulation you," I began, "You have led a wonderful campaign of expanding the trade network

"I have been fortunate. I think the need was such that it kind of made it happen."

"You are an excellent negotiator it seems," I added.

"The current political climate was conducive to it. Confidentially, I am a better business woman than I am a pilot."

"There is one thing that may be a concern..." I handed her a photograph,"...this is you see a matter of uniforms."

It was a photograph from the old Zenobia Low Orbital Station. I showed Ms. Raghilda and an older man both wearing Dharma Initiative overalls. They were standing on a docking port with Zeno Baxton and another man. Baxton, while being well connection in Zenobian trade circles, is known to have a criminal record and ties to the Independence military.

"Yes, our clothes got dirty, the old man gave us the coveralls....."

"This was taken sometime ago at the old low orbital station."

It took my team days of sifting through security camera feeds to find this image.

"....Desmond Serenity, one of the trustees of Dharma," she added.

"Indeed," I replied. The elusive Mr. Serenity.

"Yes, Ma'am. Coop was showing us the shuttle he had in dockage. The auto pilot was twitchy."

Coop must have been the fourth person in the picture.

"Go on."

"The old man talked on about some things I couldn't follow."

"Such as?"

"Coop didn't seem to like him much. He talked about his old Army Unit."

"What did he say?"

"He used to live in Hale I think, before the war or something."

"And his unit?"

"He was in the army during the war. Members of his old unit were dying off. He should consider smoking and drinking less. He reeked of beer and generic cigarettes. That was the day Sheriff Gallagher was shot. It was in the papers. Probably why I forgot all about him. Two snipers shot Sheriff Gallagher down in his own office."

"And his old unit ..tell me about that."

"I don't know anything about his old unit. Oh, wait, I have a photo." She dug around in her pack for a picture as we continued talking.

"Did they catch the snipers that tried to kill the sheriff?"

"No. Not even close. They found the weapons. Gallagher did anyway. Alliance issue, but outdated."

I frowned, "Hmmm. Last time we talked, Ms Raghilda. You asked if I would be your backup."

"Yes ma'am." She finally found the photo she was looking for and passed it to me.

"Are you in some kind of trouble?" I asked.

"No. Things go on."

"Then why did you ask me?"

"I am out of the loop. Its usually 11:59 when I find out anything. You were looking for Zenobian stuff in places I frequent. It means I will probably be there when it goes sideways."

"This picture... of you in the Dharma overalls, would be considered incriminating in some places you see. There is evidence linking Dharma to a bombing of one of our research facilities."

"Dharma is a public charity, their products are in stores."

"A convenient cover."

"Dharma?"

"I will be making a report next week. I need to know if I should be including this picture."

"I don't see why not".

"...and then it will be for others to do as they see fit."

"Is it not more likely that some criminal like InupThoret used Dharma materials in the commission of a crime. I assumed that is why he stole the Dharma delivery truck."

That was a fair point.

"Inup Thoret is a dime store thug," I said, "The Alliance officer that lost him should be on charges."

"Agreed."

"I hope I am given that file in fact."

"Ma'am, you are aware that I have a long history of cooperating with law enforcement."

"You have an untarnished record."

"I had a licence to salvage that derelict ship but when I found out it was not as it seemed, I forewent the profit and handed it over to the authorities."

"You did the right thing Ms Raghilda."

"This is an interesting photograph you have given me....that appears to be the Sheriff..."

"Yes ma'am, a copy of usually sits on Sheriff Gallagher's desk. You may have seen it."

"The office was being cleaned I believe the day I arrived in Hales." I said almost automatically as I play with the image in my fingers.

"Ah. Anyway, its no secret. Everyone knows that Gallagher was a medic during the war. I don't know much about his service other than that."

"You may wish however to dispose of those overalls and disassociate yourself from that charity in anyway."

"Since my association with CATZ, they are my only association of any kind."

"Anyway, that is not why I wanted to meet with you." I planned to switch topics. Keep things off balance. It was a shot in the dark anyway. Instead she took the opening.

"Could I ask you a couple of unrelated questions? Does the Alliance still deny the existence of Reavers?" she asked.

"That is certainly unrelated...why do you ask?"

"You haven't read my record? Ah, okay. I returned home from University. My entire family was wiped out and half eaten.

"By reavers, yes, and yes I have read your file."

"The local garrison told me there was no such thing. What will you tell me?"

"About reavers?"

"Were they idiots or a.....s?"

"Possibly both or kept out of the loop as you put it."

"Does the Alliance still deny reavers exist?"

"Your question has caught me off guard. You should come work for me."

"I am presenting you with an opportunity to build my trust. Get back to me."

Cheeky, full of spirit.

"Let me answer your question with a story. You are aware that I am looking for forged relics of St Zenobius."

"Yes ma'am."

"That is the official version. Often the official version is an attempt at disinformation. I am in fact looking for the authentic remains."

I felt awkward telling her the truth.

"I thought they were in an Alliance Vault or something."

"The authentic remains were hidden away during the war."

"So, they are still there, yes?"

"They have gone missing."

"Oh,I was there when the Bihar was doing some testing, but that was the last I heard. The rest is only what I read in the papers."

"They were lost sometime ago."

"How do you know?"

"You can apply what I have said concerning the official story to what happened to your family."

"Yeah. So now you know what I want. I want the official story on my family's massacre."

"...and I want those relics."

"I have no idea where you can find the relics."

"But you do have a network...."

"How can I help?"

"...and a secretary who also works at Blue Sun."

"Yes, Miss Emma."

"You have offices on the surface Shadow."

"Yes ma'am and dockage here in high orbit. The bulk carrier Behemoth moors in high orbit."

"Well I am not very welcome there as you can imagine."

"The Alliance has an official presence here again, no?"

"I am referring to wandering around on the surface."

"Yeah, people get twitchy... it's why we don't uniform up in the border or rim: uniforms freak the locals."

"I am suggesting then an exchange of information."

"I am happy to help however I can."

"If you hear of anything concerning the relics you tell me. In return I will get you information concerning what happened to your family."

"If you can give me something more specific I can probably find something before the 11th hour."

I thought for a moment.

"You have any local leads or connections to it yet? I can't ask around for the relics."

"There is a navigator by the name of Ardra. She is likely to have some information."

"I can get you something on Ardra."

I almost fell off the sofa."You recognize the name?"

"Yes Ma'am."

"That's twice you have caught me off guard...

"Okay, back to my botched salvage operation. The Persephone was being used as a staging area for organ harvesting from kidnapped victims.

"...you really should consider a career in SIU."

"No ma'am."

I smiled.

She continued, "There is a height requirement."

"Go on," I prompted, "... tell me about how you know about Ardra."

"I got the tip on the Persephone from a salvage broker on Zenobia. I don't understand how they profit from it, but it was a setup somehow for me or someone else. Well, the salvage broker did not care for me dumping the cargo with the authorities even though that was my legal obligation. We quickly figured out if we didn't get to the bottom of this, we would be looking over our shoulders for the rest of our lives. The sheriff was shot the next day."

"The snipers?" I asked.

"Emphasized the point. I started sleeping in high orbit. My cousin Moira is a doctor. She sniffed around Zenobia and found a couple of unregistered organ transplant operations."

"She trained on Zenobia, yes."

"Interned or Residency, I am not sure. Medical school was in Ariel. She was on a Zenobian scholarship, I think. Somehow the Ardra person transports the illegal organs."

I twisted my mouth a bit as I processed the information.

"Moira has the manifests," added Jai.

"She pulled the manifests?"

"Sure."

"Okay ... go on."

"The salvage agent that gave me the job is where Ardra gets her work."

"...and who would that be?"

"Mercedes. ummm something. I can get you the manifests, it should give you what you need."

"Thank you....then what happened?"

"I can't trust the Alliance or local law enforcement to take care of it. So I am investigating myself. Else another tragedy will be just a political expediency."

"...and how do you think that will end?"

"It will end sideways like everything does. Thus, my request for backup."

"Well if you don't call this being in trouble, I'm not sure what is."

"Did you read how Lilybell was kidnapped by reavers?"

"She was raised by reavers," I shrugged. "She was probably just visiting family."

"I am not in trouble as in I am not out of compliance with my legal obligations. It doesn't mean the 'verse is not full of wrongness."

"There is more to being in trouble than trouble with the law."

"When I am being interviewed by law enforcement, what should I think they are asking?"

"If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to worry about," I tried to be reassuring but it came out rehearsed.

"Law enforcement protects the law and the establishment. If I am lucky, that includes me. But if it is incovenient, I will be discarded. Like my family was."

"Tell me the details about the loss of your family. The file is terse."

"Mom, dad, sisters, uncles, aunts and several cousins. No survivors. Only those of us that were away when it happened."

"Where was the family home?"

"Sweethaven in Aphrodite....orbits Murphy like Shadow does."

I took a breath. "Reavers were the result of an experiment gone wrong...." I explained.

"Yeah."

"This much has been said before..." I acknowledged. Nothing new here, I thought. Move along.

"I don't believe that anymore. There were supposed only 30,000. That was 15 years ago. They either are breeding in the wild or someone is making new ones."

"I will see what I can find out." Not that I would necessarily share it.

"One more thing," Jai insisted.

"Yes?"

She began, "I want this organ legger thing done. I still have nightmares. I am happy to do this. You want my trust, put them down. Down a horrible prison never to be heard from. This is worse than reavers. Reavers are insane, these people made a choice to be evil. I don't want to hear about some deal. I want justice."

I paused. The law and order I believed in. It is a necessary thing to preserve civilization and to control the darker aspects of human nature. And along the way there were trade off to achieve the necessary ends. Justice, I wasn't so sure it was actually possible.

I began, "Justice is a difficult thing to managed..."

Jai exploded, "Not a good answer!"

I was stunned at the emotion in her reaction.

"Have you visited the Persephone? Go there. See it. Then decide if you want to make a 'balance' deal with those bastards."

I begun to walk away. What could I say? I had seen the secrets of the Persephone.

"See that? I want these creeps off my back, you backpedaled already!"

I retreated. "I will be in touch."

She called after me, "I will get you your files."

Her rage was withering. The encounter actually left me shaken inside.

-----

Upon return to my transport, I sent a message to Ms. Raghilda. It read:

"Find Cody Winterwolf.

He is wanted in connection with the murder of Reginald Brigston, an Alliance officer.

Brigston had in his possession a data disc containing information on reaver experiments.

Find Winterwolf. Find the disc and maybe you will find your answers.

Message ends."

The data on that disk might actually help her achieve some sort of closure ... and her search may lead me to Cody Winterwolf.

-----

[OOC - thank you to Jai Raghilda and Gallagher Aeon for use of their pictures]