The Captain approached Yen as he stood at the entrance to the lift that would take them all to the bridge. A security team led by Horace flanked her. The security team carried a small arsenal and wore body armor, as though expecting a significant battle. Their stern looks were mirrored in Captain Hodge’s steely face, her own frustrations clearly displayed across her pale Avalon face. The group came to a halt in front of Yen, who snapped to attention in front of the Captain.
“Squadron Commander,” Captain Hodge demanded, her voice betraying none of the anger reflected in her eyes, “look me in the eyes and tell me you are completely sure of this before we proceed.”
Yen matched her look, hoping that his own determination and confidence showed in his resolve. He rubbed his sweaty palms on his pants as he spoke. “Captain, I am completely sure of the evidence.” Lowering his voice, he leaned closer to the Captain. “Ma’am, we’re doing the right thing, but we need to move while he suspects nothing.”
Captain Hodge nodded, but her eyes still showed the maelstrom of indecision. After many seconds passed, she turned toward the security team. “We’re moving now. Remember, we need him taken alive. Fire only in self defense.”
Horace led the way onto the lift, his massive, furry body taking up the back third of the spacious elevator. Yen and the Captain entered second, leaving the front of the lift open for the other three security members. By them being the last on the lift, they’d be the first off and immediately able to control the room. Entering the access code for the bridge, the lift doors slid shut. The steady scroll of passing floor numbers was the only indication that the lift was moving, though the tension became more palpable as the elevator neared their destination.
As the indicator for the bridge finally lit, the doors slid open and the security team rushed into the room with weapons drawn. All three members yelled into the room as the Captain and Yen followed, their voices intermingling in contradicting commands meant to confuse their adversary. Confusion was already well established on the bridge as both Vangore and Tylgar were standing at their posts with their hands raised high. Though Tylgar’s Lithid featureless face was unreadable, Vangore clearly showed surprise. As Horace exited the elevator, his voice boomed over the others.
“Magistrate Vangore,” Horace yelled into the room as the rest of the voices were silenced, “you are accused of conspiracy, murder, and, this being a time of war, high treason against the Alliance for the unlawful slaying of Eminent Merric, a superior officer. You are advised that you are not permitted to speak at this time, though you will be afforded the opportunity during interrogation. At this time, you will surrender to the security forces and be taken immediately to the brig. Anything said will be construed as resisting arrest.”
“What… wait, you’re making…” Vangore began. As he opened his mouth to speak, however, the three members of the security force grabbed him firmly by his tunic and threw him to the floor. He yelped as his arms were pinned behind him and manacles placed on his wrists.
“I take it that means you did not understand your rights as I explained them,” Horace remarked as Vangore grunted in pain. The Oterian Security Officer turned to the Captain, awaiting further orders.
“Take him to the brig,” she said softly, the fire gone from her voice.
The security team pulled Vangore to his feet and drug him toward the lift. As he was taken away, he continued to protest.
“Captain, I don’t understand,” he yelled before being struck with a neural stimulator. His body immediately went limp as nerve impulses were disrupted. Without another sound, Vangore was taken to the lift and the entire security team departed, leaving the Captain, Yen, Horace, and a very stunned Tylgar on the bridge.
Captain Hodge spun on Yen, her passion returned. “Would you now please explain to me exactly why I just had my Communications Officer thrown in the brig?”
“Ma’am,” Yen began. “After you conducted the inventory of my quarters, you ordered me to search my own areas followed by those once held by Eminent Merric. One of those areas included the bridge. I searched the physical locations thoroughly, but found no evidence of wrongdoing in any area checked.”
Yen leaned on the Captain’s console, which had already been programmed to display the evidence Yen had found. “Though you hadn’t specified, I took the liberty of assuming that searching the areas once covered by Merric included the computer network maintained on this ship.”
“And you found something condemning Vangore there?” Horace asked, his voice rumbling in the silent room.
“Not at first, no,” Yen said. “At first, I found the same information that you had found previously. Merric had not used his access code after leaving the bridge the night previous. However, that explanation didn’t settle well with me. If he didn’t use his access code at all, that means he was murdered within either the halls or a common area, none of which are ever empty enough to pull off a horrific crime. I figured that a lack of access code was fairly damning evidence that someone had tampered with the system. Therefore, I spent some time digging through the lines of code within the computer. That’s when I found this.”
Yen turned the Captain’s console so that the others could see. Merric’s name was lit in red, underneath which was his access code and a single location listed: Vangore’s personal quarters. “Merric did use his code the night he died,” Yen explained. “He used his code to enter Vangore’s quarters. This evidence was fairly well hidden within the ship’s files, as though someone had tried to erase the evidence. However, I believe that the quick revelation that Merric was missing left Vangore little time to do an efficient job of hiding his crime.”
“Then how did you know to send Horace and his men to the engine room?” the Captain asked.
Yen nodded, knowingly. “After I suspected Vangore, who could have easily altered the computer program from his console on the bridge, I followed his access code following Merric’s visit. The only place Vangore’s code was used was in the engine room to disable the fail safes protecting the engine exhausted port and again when he reentered his quarters about fifteen minutes later. Did you find something in the engine room?”
“Organic residue, unlike any plasma byproducts created by the engine,” Horace answered.
“And you believe…” Yen asked, leaving the question hanging.
“It could potentially be organic remains from a body destroyed in the engine exhaust,” Horace finished. “The medical bay is conducting an analysis as we speak.”
Captain Hodge pushed the console out of her way before collapsing into the helm, her wings folded tightly against her body. She raised her hand and ran it absently through her hair, lost in thought.
“Vangore killed Merric?” a disembodied voice asked from the other side of the room from where the three stood. All turned to see Tylgar still standing awe-struck behind the navigator console.
“Sit down and monitor navigations,” Captain Hodge yelled at the Lithid, who immediately disappeared behind his console and busied himself with unimportant work. “I don’t need to remind you that should word of this spread before I make an official announcement to the crew, you’ll be sharing a cell with him. Am I understood, Magistrate?”
“Ma’am, yes ma’am,” Tylgar replied hastily without turning away from his console.
Captain Hodge turned her attention back to Yen. “I just don’t understand why he would do this. It just doesn’t make any sense. Everyone has had their disagreements on board, but no one under my command would resort to murder.”
Yen shrugged. “I can’t hope to speak on Vangore’s behalf, ma’am,” he replied. “Only one man knows why he committed murder, and he is currently being escorted to the brig. However, ma’am, with your leave I would like to accompany Prestige Horace to the brig and be present for the interrogation.”
Captain Hodge looked up, perplexed. “Why?” she asked. “Why would you want or need to be present for his interrogation?”
Yen leaned forward until he was mere inches away from the Captain. “Ma’am, believe me when I tell you that I have no morbid fascination in watching someone be… encouraged to tell their secrets. However, we need to face a horrible truth. Eminent Merric is dead, which leaves me as both the Squadron Commander and your Tactical Officer, making me the second in command of the Revolution. Whether we like it or not, it is now both my duty and responsibility to ensure discipline is maintained on board. If we can find out what happened to make Vangore cross the line and commit murder, hopefully we can ensure it never happens again.”
Looking tired, the Captain nodded in agreement. “Fine, go with Horace and be present for the interrogation.” She turned toward the Oterian. “Use any means necessary to get answers. Do I make myself clear?”
“Crystal,” Horace rumbled through clenched teeth. As he turned to leave, Yen fell into step behind him. Neither spoke as the entered the lift, waiting instead for the doors to slide shut behind them.
“That was fairly impressive detective work,” Horace growled condescendingly. “It’s surprising for someone with no forensic background.”
Yen didn’t bother turning toward the Security Officer, instead maintaining his focus on the floor numbers rolling by as the lift descended. “I don’t know what to tell you, Horace. I guess I got lucky by following my hunch.”
“Detectives only use hunches in old vids and story reels,” Horace snorted. “Anyone now and days that tells you they just followed a hunch is covering their own shoddy evidence collection. You wouldn’t be trying to hide something, would you Squadron Commander?”
“Maybe you wouldn’t be so upset if you didn’t have someone else doing your job better,” Yen snarled, the anger flashing through his body. As he turned toward the Oterian, the lift doors opened and Horace stepped off the lift. Yen let the anger subside as he followed.
“No offense, Commander, but I don’t believe you.”
“Then let’s just see what the prisoner has to say under interrogation,” Yen replied. “I can guarantee he’ll tell a pretty interesting story when questioned.”