Chapter Seventeen Corrina
I’m standing in front of the council trying my best to maintain a neutral expression.
“You keep promising evidence that will support your argument from your Fixer team,” Councilor Vertage is saying in his arrogant, nasally voice that makes me want to punch him right in the throat.
“But it’s been days since this hearing started and we’re still waiting. ”
“I understand that, Councilor,” I reply through gritted teeth. “But these are complicated security systems, and my team is getting very close.”
“Are they?” he asks, leaning back in his chair. “Or are you wasting this committee’s time instead of accepting responsibility for your failure to protect an innocent man from violent creatures? Creatures who are still roaming this base, I might add.”
I take a deep breath and pray to all my ancestors for patience.
I always knew Vertage was going to be the biggest problem.
He and Lianov were friends for decades, and Vertage has always been one of the first to proclaim Lianov’s so-called innocence and help make previous charges disappear.
I have no doubt that if, make that WHEN, the Fixers crack Lianov’s systems that Vertage is going to be among the list of clients.
But until or unless I can prove it, it’s just my own suspicions and instincts against Vertage’s position.
“You say that as if these creatures – haleens – have shown any aggression whatsoever beyond the death of Lianov. I’ve seen vids of them playing catch in the park with children,” one of the other councilors says.
I stifle a grateful smile at Councilor Zahra.
She’s been the most supportive of my argument, perhaps in part because she’s been a part of numerous other hearings where Lianov managed to weasel out with a fine or a slap on the wrist. “And my understanding is that they are still essentially confined to the base and under constant guard.”
“That is correct,” I say with a grateful nod.
Vertage grunts dismissively. Before he can say anything else insulting about me or Lianov’s victims, Councilor Zahra continues.
“At any rate, it has been a long day. I suggest that we adjourn and resume tomorrow morning.” Several of the other councilors agree before Vertage can object.
I nod to the councilors and exit the room.
I’m surprised to see Ensign Liu still at his desk when I arrive at my office a few moments later.
I glance at my wrist – he would usually be off-duty for an hour at this time.
He stands as I approach and I realize there is another person in the office.
“Commander,” Liu greets me. “This is Fixer Jameel. She insisted that she needed to see you as soon as possible.”
I glance at the woman as she stands up. She is a good bit taller than me with jet black hair and chestnut-brown skin. Her hands are clasped tightly together as she nods at me. “Commander,” she says softly.
I nod. “Why don’t you step into my office?
” I say, gesturing towards the door. I glance at Liu.
I’d dismiss him, but I doubt he’s going to leave with a strange soldier in my office.
As if to prove my point, he pulls a sidearm from a drawer and sets it on his desk before turning his chair to face my office.
I appreciate his vigilance while I hope it won’t be needed. “Jameel, is it?” I say, stepping into my office and moving behind my desk. I close the door, but leave the privacy filter off so Liu can see everything that is happening inside. “What is it that you needed to see me about?”
“I’ve asked around about you,” she says. “I’m new to the team, but everyone here has good things to say about you. That you’re honest and fair. That you take your role and your responsibility seriously. That you really are trying to make this base, and the surrounding space, a better place.”
I’m a little puzzled by her statements. “I certainly like to think so. What exactly is this about?”
Jameel reaches a fist slowly towards my desk and opens her fingers.
A tiny, glinting square drops from her palm onto the open surface.
“This is an unraveler,” she says quietly.
“I found it on my workstation this afternoon. I would never have looked for anything like it because the Fixer work room is secured. I only saw it because I dropped an earring and had to crawl onto the floor to retrieve it.”
I stare down at the innocuous looking square. “An unraveler?” I ask, confused.
“It’s a subtle yet sophisticated device used to sabotage complex operations and processes,” she explains. “Like the ones the whole team has been running to try to break through the systems on Captain Lianov’s ship.”
All the air goes out of the room for a moment as I process this new information.
I kept getting reports that the Fixer team was close, and yet they could never seem to quite break through.
And this tiny little bit of wire and metal could be the reason why.
“Who else knows about this?” I ask quietly.
“No one,” Jameel says, shaking her head. “Like I said, I’m a new transfer to the team. I don’t know any of them very well yet.”
“But you’ve been asking them about me?”
Jameel shrugs. “Not just them, and only in a general way since my transfer a month ago. Mess hall chatter and such. I like to know my commanding officers.”
“Thank you for bringing this to me,” I say. “I’m going to ask you to stay put for a little while.” Jameel nods and I step out from behind my desk and to the doorway. “Get me Curran,” I say to Ensign Liu. “Now.”
A few minutes later, Curran is jogging into my office where Jameel and I explain what she found. “Is there any way to ID who placed this thing?” Curran asks, staring at the device. I haven’t touched it since Jameel dropped it on my desk.
“It might be possible,” Jameel replies. “But it wouldn’t be easy. But now that it’s gone, we should be able to crack Lianov’s system.”
“Assuming there aren’t any others,” Curran mutters.
“Assuming there aren’t any others,” Jameel agrees.
“I want the rest of the Fixer team off-duty until this is cracked,” I tell Curran.
“Lock down the work room and keep everyone else out until Jameel has a chance to sweep the rest of the work stations and get me the information I need.” I turn to face her.
“You can do it, right? You can crack Lianov’s system on your own and get me the evidence of what was really happening on that ship?
” Jameel nods determinedly. “And I want a security detail on Jameel indefinitely.”
Curran nods seriously. I dismiss Jameel to the outer office with instructions for Liu to seal off the area until her security team arrives, then I close the door and turn to face Curran.
“Someone really wants to make sure we can’t get to whatever information is locked up in Lianov’s system,” I hiss. Now that it’s just the two of us, I can let my emotions show. “A traitor or traitors in my base, under my command.”
“Or someone who is compromised,” Curran replies evenly. “You know how Lianov used to operate. Threats and blackmail can be powerful motivators. Not that it’s an excuse, but we don’t know all the facts yet.”
I want to be angrier, but I know he’s right.
“I’m going to need full backgrounds on everyone on the team again.
Including Jameel.” Curran looks surprised.
“I do feel like I can trust her, and she brought me this unraveler thing – assuming it’s what she says it is – but we cannot take any chances.
We need to keep as much of what we know under wraps for as long as we can. ”
“Understood,” Curran says simply.
“Stars and planets, what a fucking mess,” I say with a sigh as I collapse into my chair. “Tell me why I do this shit,” I say exasperatedly.
“Because despite all evidence to the contrary, you believe that goodness and justice exist in the universe,” Curran drawls. I chuckle. “And I suspect you feel like those three haleens locked up in their quarters don’t deserve to be punished for erasing a shitstain like Lianov from existence.”
I glance at Curran at the mention of the haleens. “They doing okay?” I ask.
He shrugs. “They are probably bored since I asked them to lay low for a while, but they are fine. I told them a little of what you’re dealing with.”
I frown. “You didn’t have to do that,” I argue.
“No, I didn’t,” Curran agrees. “But the way Krish and Zann were moping around and asking about you nonstop, I thought they should know.”
I roll my eyes at my second-in-command. “I’m sure they weren’t moping.”
“Hard to tell with a different species,” Curran replies. “But they were definitely asking where you were to anyone and everyone they could find.”
I chuckle and shake my head. It is flattering to be missed.
And I suppose I’ve gotten used to seeing the three of them regularly since I first saw them standing in a puddle of Lianov’s remains.
But right now, I have bigger problems to worry about then if or how much a trio of alien males might miss me.
Even if the idea of them missing me does give me a warm feeling I don’t have time to analyze right now.