Fahl cracked his neck and stretched. Stiff from sitting in a cell between interrogation sessions, he took a moment to collect himself as he exited. The familiar metal halls of the flagship had never quite seemed so uninviting. His experience at being treated as a prisoner after carrying out such a last-minute mission didn’t sit well with him.
The questions had been standard fare. None of them gave any hint into what the actual situation was nor what had happened to his squad mates. The last he’d seen of them they were being whisked away under armed guard.
If Commander Cyrix’s expression had been anything to go by, then whatever had happened was important. Enough that he came personally to investigate. The steel in his voice as he ordered Fahl into detention had been cause for concern. Sitting in a cell for hours – days even – without any indication as to what was going on even more so.
Now that he’d been released, he assumed that whatever he’d said corroborated with the others. Tired from the ordeal, he decided that sleeping in his own room would be far better than his previous accommodations.
The two guards stationed outside his cell watched him carefully. Fahl looked around, unsure where he was. The flagship was an immense monstrosity of metal, and he didn’t know the layout by heart. He doubted anybody did, so massive it was. Nervously, he turned to one of the guards and asked for directions.
He didn’t question their presence when they ordered him to follow, escorting him through a maze of halls and corridors spanning multiple levels. When at last he arrived in a section of the ship he recognized, he dismissed them.
The two soldiers exchanged glances. After a silent conversation, one of them turned and left. The other remained glued to Fahl’s side, causing him to frown. “You can leave now,” he said to the woman.
She simply shook her head in response. “I have my orders,” she said in a hard tone. “You are to be escorted at all times while on the flagship.”
“That’s ridiculous!” Fahl sputtered in outrage. “I didn’t do anything wrong. I’ve been released. There shouldn’t be any reason for you to stick around.”
“You are considered a person of interest until further notice and will be treated as such,” the soldier said diplomatically in an effort to calm him.
“Do you even know why I’m being monitored?” Fahl spat.
“It doesn’t matter; orders are orders.”
“And my orders got me shoved in prison, interrogated and put under surveillance! You have no idea what’s even going on, do you?” The hesitation in her eyes was all he needed to confirm his suspicions. “Don’t you think that this is going overboard?”
The woman’s eyes darted around nervously. “Take my advice and lay low,” she muttered under her breath, just loud enough for Fahl to hear. “Something’s got High Command rattled. And I mean really rattled. The guy you were guarding was attacked. I saw him being taken away by medical. Now’s not the time to stand out.” She cut him off as he was about to reply. “The rest of your team is being guarded as well.”
Fahl shut up instantly and gave her a searching look. “Any idea how long until this blows over?” The woman shrugged but didn’t say anything more. He gave her a slow nod. “I see. I’ll take your advice then. I’ll see you in a couple of hours.”
The woman flashed him a ghost of a smile. “I won’t be here when you wake up. It’ll be somebody else. Be careful.”
Fahl input the code on the panel on the wall next to the metal door that barred his entry to his room. A gentle click followed by the panel lighting up green informed him that he could enter. He nodded as his sentry took up her position next to the door and entered the room, closing the door behind him.
The room wasn’t a grand affair; space was a luxury on the ship, even in spite of its size. He walked several steps and sat down on the edge of the single bed against the wall on the right. Directly across from him was a small closet where his spare uniforms were crammed and a metal desk that was just big enough to do any form of work. There were several drawers next to the seat that was tucked in, and a data slate carelessly set down on top of it.
A wave of fatigue overtook him, and he turned off the lights and went to bed without so much as touching his data slate. He awoke with a start some time later to his data slate ringing. Blearily, he got up and sat at his desk. The incoming caller was unknown. He frowned and moved to decline the call when it answered without his input.
Kaius’ face appeared onscreen, chasing away any remnant of fatigue Fahl had. He snapped to attention and immediately saluted the Elder that had deigned to contact him. “I see you’re doing well, doctor,” Kaius said. “You may stand down.” Fahl dropped his pose, his eyes never once leaving his screen. “I have a task for you. It’s one that only you can do.”
“You need me?” Fahl clamored. “Is this related to why I was held captive?” A feeling of dread welled in his chest. The last thing he wanted to do was get further involved in the mess he’d finally gotten out of.
“I’m glad you were able to figure it out so quickly,” Kaius hummed. “That sharp mind of yours will serve you well both now and in the future.” The unfriendly smile he flashed did nothing to alleviate Fahl’s growing trepidation.
“But I’m just a doctor!” Fahl protested. “What could I possibly do that would be of assistance to someone of your standing?”
“On your ship in the med bay there should be a small sample containing several drops of an orange liquid. I want you to retrieve it without anybody knowing. I’ll contact you again once you’ve completed your mission to give you your new orders.”
Fahl narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “I’m not allowed on the ship right now. That much was made very clear to me.”
“I’ve arranged for you to be given permission under the guise of taking stock of the med bay’s inventory – which I expect you to also do. You’ll only have one chance.”
“I’ve got guards following me,” Fahl pointed out. “How am I supposed to sneak anything past them if I’m being watched?”
“That’s for you to figure out, doctor.”
“I’m going to get caught!”
“Not if you do your work properly, you won’t.”
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“I don’t think I’m the best person for this job. You’d be better off finding somebody else.”
“I wasn’t asking,” Kaius said in a low voice. “Do this task for me or face the consequences. I’m the reason you and your teammates were released so quickly. I can just as easily put you back in that cell.” Fahl nodded mutely, unwilling to face the ire of an Elder. With his power and standing, Kaius wasn’t making an empty threat. “Good. I trust that you’ll keep this matter between us.”
A shiver ran down Fahl’s spine at the heavy tone with which Kaius spoke. “Can you give me more details on the mission?” he asked. Kaius promptly informed him that the mission would commence within the hour, once his guard detail changed. After being escorted to the ship, he would be given the time needed to complete his task. After confirming that he understood, the Elder ended the call, leaving a very nervous soldier alone in his room.
One hour later, a knock came from his door, and he knew it was time. Freshly changed into a new pair of military fatigues, he hoped that the many pockets that adorned the cargo-like material pants would be enough for him to slip the sample into. His heart sped up as he opened the door.
A man of similar height with dark purple hair and eyes contrasting against his pale skin stood stoically. “Come,” he said succinctly. He turned around and began walking down the hall at a brisk pace. Fahl scurried after him, ensuring the door lock behind him.
The pair made their way through the ship. As they approached the hangar, they were stopped at various checkpoints to verify their identity. The hairs on the back of his neck rose as he entered the hangar full of soldiers. Armed, combat-ready soldiers. Acutely aware that he was the only one without any weapon, Fahl tried his best to remain calm under their scrutinizing stares.
Two soldiers guarded the ramp into the ship. They shared a glance as the duo approached and stood aside, allowing them to pass without question. The inside of the ship was bare of any soldiers save the one guarding the entrance to the med bay.
All it took was one look from Fahl’s escort for the guard to nod and open the doors, granting them access to the room. The first thing that jumped out at him was the large amount of dried blood on the ground. “By the gods,” he said, “what happened here?”
“Someone died.” That was all his escort said on the matter. He simply shrugged when Fahl asked how. Stepping carefully around the blood, they made their way to the desk at the other end of the room. They passed right by several beds and the operating table.
Fahl took seat at the desk and looked around for his data slate where he’d last left it. Surprised that it had remained untouched, he used it to draw up a list of the med bay’s inventory. Transferring it to the holomonitor that floated idly in front of him, he peered at the other soldier. “Do you even know what I’m supposed to do?”
“Inventory.”
Fahl sighed in frustration. “You don’t need to stay in the room.” He hoped that it would be easy to get rid of his unwanted companion. The last thing he needed was a pair of eyes watching his every move as he catalogued everything in the room.
“You’re not allowed to be unattended. I have my orders.”
Gritting his teeth, Fahl got to work. His guard meticulously watched his every move as he moved about the med bay, going through drawers and cabinets to ensure that everything was as it should. Yet as the hours passed, the soldier’s eyes began to wander around the room.
Even though it took a while, Fahl eventually came to a drawer full of vials and medication. He immediately noticed two that weren’t placed correctly, the sight only obvious to him due to the long hours he spent organizing his inventory on a regular basis. The description of one of the vials matched what Kaius had told him earlier, although he couldn’t help but wonder why there were two such vials instead of one.
He rummaged through the drawer and moved them from the back to the front. Slightly turning his head, he cast a sidelong glance to his guard, who wasn’t paying attention. Fahl palmed the two small vials into his pocket with small motions so as not to attract attention and waited to get caught.
When his guard didn’t comment nor attempt to stop him, he let loose the breath he’d been holding and continued his work, meticulously going over everything in the room. When he finally finished, he let out a heavy sigh. His eyes burned from exhaustion, but adrenaline kept him going. He put the data slate back on the desk where he’d found it. His work showed that everything was accounted for.
Technically, he’d found the vials and could truthfully include them in the report. That he was taking them with him out of the ship was carefully omitted. After alerting his guard that he was done, he was escorted out of the ship.
The samples burned a hole in his pocket as he walked by the soldiers stationed in the docking bay. Fahl kept his eyes forward and gave nothing away as he left the heavily guarded area. Exhausted, famished and running on fumes, he requested that they stop by the mess hall in order to grab a bite to eat.
Once done, he retired to his room. Away from prying eyes, he finally had the chance to inspect what he’d been asked to retrieve. He ensured the door was locked before taking the vials out of his pocket. He placed one on his desk and held the other up to the light.
It contained several drops of an orange liquid that made Fahl uneasy. He couldn’t place why, but being in proximity to them had been bothering him since he first found the vials. That’s what all the extra security was for? he thought. Swapping samples, he frowned at the almost empty vial. It contained a single purple drop. Barely enough to even be called a sample, yet it put him more on edge than the orange one. Just what are these? What was I asked to steal?
Kaius had only made mention of one sample, leaving him wondering why there were two. His thoughts darkened as he recalled the threat Kaius had made should he not carry out his mission. Since the orange one was what he’d asked for, it was all he would get. The purple one he would hide.
One of his crew mates had been murdered. Between the questions his interrogators had asked him and the sheer amount of blood he’d seen in the med bay, that much he was able to piece together. The only person he hadn’t seen when they’d all been ordered out of the ship and arrested had been Alarr – the one in charge of guarding Irric during the transport.
He sat down at his desk and continued pondering the situation. He drummed his fingers. The only people that had been with Alarr had been Irric and Nadi. It all came down to Nadi. Either Irric was working with her and together they’d stolen the samples or Nadi had been the one to steal them after Irric had been attacked.
Without any more information on what had happened to Irric during their mission, Fah was left guessing. As he continued trying to piece together the puzzle his data slate rang. It once again displayed an unknown caller id, but he knew who it was.
Before he could accept, Kaius’ face appeared onscreen. “Doctor,” he said, “I trust you were successful?” His eyes were full of anticipation as he waited for Fahl’s response.
“Yes, Honourable Elder,” he replied in a respectful tone. “I retrieved a small vial with some orange liquid in it, like you described.”
“And how do you know it was the right one?” Kaius challenged.
“There’s nothing else that’s orange in the med bay,” Fahl replied flatly. Kaius blinked. “It was rather obvious if you knew what to look for.” He shook his head. “Anybody with even a shred of knowledge on our standard supplies would have been able to pick it out. It was cleverly hidden, I’ll grant that. It fit right in with the rest of our supplies.”
“Were you seen taking the sample?”
“I don’t think so. My guard remained with me but wasn’t looking when I took it out from its hiding spot.”
“Excellent,” Kaius purred. “Store it in your desk drawer the next time you leave your room. It won’t be there when you get back.”
The thought that somebody else could so easily access his room while he was gone disturbed Fahl, making him wonder how he would keep the other sample safe from being found. The matter-of-fact tone with which the Elder spoke convinced him that he would never see it again if he followed his orders. “If I may ask a question?” he hedged.
“You may not,” Kaius answered harshly. “Know that you’ve accomplished something remarkably important today.” The glare that he leveled Fahl was enough to convince him to hold his tongue. He nodded silently in acknowledgement, pleasing Kaius. “I have no further orders for you, doctor. It would be for the best if what happened today remained between us. Under no circumstance are you to speak of your mission to anyone.”
“Understood,” Fahl replied woodenly. Kaius flashed a slight smile and ended the call. Without any new orders, he was left wondering if he’d done the right thing by carrying out a secret mission for the Elder. Unease filled him as he eyed the samples. He hid the orange one in his drawer and searched for a good hiding spot for the purple one, praying to the gods that he wouldn’t be found out.
