Chapter 18
"I've decided to stay on board," Judy said, her muffled voice filtering through the closed hatch.
"Are you sure that's what you want to do?" I asked.
"It's what my husband would have wanted. This was a dream we both shared. I'm not letting that dream die. Not now."
I returned to the bell, and we sealed the chamber. I contacted the DSV and told them the body was ready for retrieval.
"You're staying down here?" David asked, somewhat annoyed.
"Yes, until we can figure out who's responsible. You've got a murderer in your midst.”
His face tightened.
"I hope you've got a place for us to bunk," I said with a hopeful grin.
"This facility was designed to accommodate 14. There were 10 of us. Now there are nine, plus you two. There is an entire berthing compartment that you can help yourselves to. I'm sure you will appreciate the privacy.
"Thank you. That will be great.”
"I'll show you to your quarters, then you can continue your investigation.”
David escorted us through the facility to our own bunk room. It was just the same as the others. JD and I stowed our gear, then had some questions for David.
I pulled the hatch shut for privacy. "I'm just going to be direct. Who do you think killed him?”
David shrugged. "I don't have the foggiest idea. This honestly comes as a total shock to me.”
"Did you notice any tensions brewing over the last few days?”
"Not that I can say.”
"How about what you can't say?”
The muscles in his jaw flexed, and he exhaled with a hint of frustration. "I'm telling you, I can't think of anybody on the ship who would sabotage the mission like that. We are all focused and dedicated professionals.”
"What about Ross?”
David frowned and reluctantly admitted, "He's the least professional of the bunch, but I do believe, despite his shortcomings, he is a dedicated crewman.
Tristan would not have put him aboard the habitat if he didn't see something in him.
In the time that we've been here, he's already started the grow and is ahead of schedule.”
"The grow?"
"The goal for this facility is to become completely self-sustaining. Food, water, scrubbed oxygen. Ultimately, the point is to build a colony in a hostile environment that could survive and thrive indefinitely."
"What about Ross's contraband?”
"I'm not concerned with Ross's contraband as long as he keeps it to himself and gets his job done. My leadership style is somewhat different from Commander Weyland’s.
I'll admit that. I don't care what someone does on their off time as long as they don't pose a safety risk.
If Ross wants to get high on his own time, I don't have a problem with that.”
"What about in an emergency situation?”
"Do you honestly think we’re going to colonize another planet and that none of those first colonists are going to indulge in a little relaxation from time to time?
People will drink, do drugs, have sex. That's what people do.
You can't clamp down too hard, or that will cause conflict within the group.
I am no psychologist, that's why Elana is on board.
It's her job to counsel and assess the mental health of all of these people.
If she comes to me with a concern, I will address it.
I didn't anticipate this, and I didn't want it, but it is now my responsibility. "
"You can't tell me you didn't want your own command," I said, egging him on.
"Of course, I wanted my own command. Not like this. Not now. I wanted to earn it. I didn't want it to be gifted to me like this.”
"So you would call this a gift?”
David glared at me. "No, I would not call this a gift. I would call this a tragedy. Now we have to make the best of a bad situation. We must carry forward. It is the motto that we have shared since the beginning, and will be our guiding light in times of trouble."
"Is there anything else I need to know? Anything you're not telling me about the group or the dynamic here aboard the habitat?”
David hesitated for a moment, then said, "I don't tend to get involved in the private lives of crew members, but I think this is relevant and probably a good time to go ahead and say it.
" He took a deep breath. "I did not see this with my own eyes, but I have heard rumors that Weyland was having an affair with Quinn.”
I lifted a surprised brow. "Is this something that started aboard the habitat, or had it been going on before?”
"Like I said, I can't say with any certainty. But I believe it has been an ongoing situation.”
JD and I shared a look.
"Does Judy know?”
David hesitated again. "I've never talked to her about it. But how could she not know? The gossip was going around the habitat. I assume she was aware.”
"What about Quinn’s husband, Mitch?”