Will knew there was no such custom and that he grimaced when sipping the tea because it was the most awful thing he’d ever tasted. He refused to let Daniels get one over on him, so he always had some explanation that he was sure Daniels would not believe. This was the customary way the two men greeted each other.
“I see we are both noble men and can keep our honor for at least a bit longer. I accept your explanation, and may I say it was probably your best one yet.”
“Thank you, Captain. You’ve made the tea exceptionally good today—nice and strong, just the way you know I like it. But, I had a lot to drink on the shuttle; I think I’ll finish this later,” said Will, handing the cup and saucer to the ensign, who was standing there not understanding anything about the ritual she’d just observed and was relieved to be able to walk away.
“Nigel, how have you been? Things seem busier than ever up here.”
“Yes. As you well know, we have many science teams up here all needing special circumstances, positioning of the station, coordination of supplies, different gravitational conditions, and on and on.”
“Well, I certainly understand a scientist’s need for the right conditions, and I’ll be sure to get you my list of demands as soon as I settle in.”
Daniels once again laughed, as he’d missed his old friend’s gift of humorous banter.
“I’ll be waiting with baited breath, my old friend.”
“Seriously Nigel, have you noticed anything strange lately about the government? I’m not sure how removed you are from things up here, but I’ve come to see some subtle and not so subtle changes that have me concerned.”
“Will, trust me. I have a good pulse on the direction the government is taking. Do you know how many secret projects are happening on my station as we speak? There is more spying going on now than before Mars was united. There’s been a consolidation of power by a few factions in the government, and I think it began near the end of the war.”
A look of concern came over Will as he listened to Daniels. “What do you mean? Are you saying that the democratic process is being undermined?”
“I’d say it’s being downright manipulated, and I’m not sure to what ends.”
Daniels led Will to a large schematic of the station displayed on one of the monitors.
“You see this section here?” said Daniels, pointing to an area near a large hanger bay. “This used to be reserved for scientific study, as most of the station was.”
“That’s where our lab was two years ago.” said Will.
“Now look here,” said Daniels, running his finger along a corridor that was positioned at the farthest point from the command deck. “This entire section is totally off limits to anyone without strict government permission. We’ve come to call it the black corridor because the lights are always dimmed, and even from the outside they’ve tinted all the windows so you can’t see in.”
“Do you have access?”
“No. I raised strong objections to these measures and currently have a complaint filed with the quorum, but that will fall on deaf ears. The quorum has become a bunch of pompous wankers beholden to the new government led by that fool Larsen.”
“I can’t believe they’ve locked you out of a section of your own station. What can they possibly be doing that requires such secrecy?” asked Will.
“I can’t tell you. All I know is that all docking operations with government vessels go directly to their section and don’t pass through any other area of the station. They are totally self-contained, and rarely do any of their personnel leave their section to enter the rest of the station. As your luck would have it, I’ve positioned you right next to the black corridor.”
Will could see a devious look of satisfaction come over Daniels’s face.
“I received suggestions from government representatives strongly advising that I keep you away from this section.”
“Why would they care where my team is positioned?” asked Will.
“That’s the question, isn’t it? No bloody politician is going to tell me how to run my station. That’s why I put you right there, smack dab in the middle of the mystery. I knew it would ruffle some feathers, and besides, you need a little kick in the backside, from what I’ve been hearing. This will be just the thing to keep you on your toes.”
Will gave him a sarcastic look of thanks. If Nigel had only known about the events of the past few days, he’d probably have thought differently about him needing a kick in the backside.
“What do you know about this new person Larsen has assigned to my team?”
“Not much. She arrived just before you did,” said Daniels.
“She? It’s a woman? Jonas had indicated that it was a—”
“Yes, and quite a looker, but don’t let that keep you from correctly having your guard up, as I know you must. She’s as cold as ice, and I’ll tell you she could cut off your bollocks with a snide look.”
Will grimaced at the thought and his old friend’s blunt way of describing her demeanor.
“She also has special government permissions to enter—guess what section of the station.”
“The black corridor?” asked Will.
“That’s right. Now why would they assign someone like that to you?” asked Daniels curiously. “Is there anything going on that I don’t know about?”
Will felt bad holding out on his friend but he knew it wasn’t the right time to share information.
“Nothing I can think of,” said Will, not fooling Daniels with his denial.
“Well, just stay frosty, and watch your ass. I don’t need any incidents on my station.”
A young officer walked up to Daniels.
“Sir, gravitational dampers are acting up on the leisure deck, we’ve had several complaints.”
“Assign maintenance teams, and I’ll be right there. Can you find your way to your new home, Dr. O’Neil? I have to make sure a bunch of pasty scientists don’t get sucked into space while playing antigravity ball.”
“I’m sure I can, Captain. Thanks for the tea.”
“Maybe we’ll get together later for something a bit stronger, and you can fill me in on what’s really going on.”
“I’ll be looking forward to it, Captain,” said Will as he headed to the elevator. He made his way through the station and couldn’t help but notice the coldness that permeated it. In the subsequent years since Telos, a decision had been made to keep all but approved personnel from inhabiting the station. There was no sound of children running through the corridors as before—just the coldness that was life in outer space. Just after Will had left Collosum the first time, a Cholan separatist group had infiltrated the station and been responsible for several suicide bombings involving children, that nearly crippled Collosum. Since that time, they’d banned families, and there had been no further incidents.
Will came to the entrance of the black corridor, and as Daniels had described, the window that typically looked down the entrance to any corridor was tinted with no visibility to the other side. It also appeared to have been constructed of a much denser, black material, which was totally unlike the traditional silver station doors. There was also an extra layer of security at the entrance, which included a retina scanner as well as a slot for an access card and a keypad for a code. He ran his hand across the top of the keypad wondering what could be so secretive and require such security. As Daniels had planned, Will’s curiosity began to run wild as a stern voice came from directly behind him.
“Dr. O’Neil.”
Will once again heard the accent that he had first heard while at the observatory from the two men in black suits. This was a deep female voice, but it still sent chills down his spine. He turned quickly, not knowing what to expect, and there before him was a tall women dressed in a lab coat and black skirt. Her dark black hair was pulled up into a loose ponytail and Will couldn’t ignore her natural beauty. He also couldn’t ignore her long, toned legs, which were her most striking feature and one sh
e was obviously not afraid to flaunt.
“Dr. O’Neil, I am Dr. Ileana Karkovich. I’ve been assigned to your Telos project.”
Will was caught off guard, and nervously tried to respond. “Yes, of course. I’ve just found that out. Forgive me, but I didn’t request any additional personnel. How is it that—”
“I have been assigned to you from the highest levels of the Space Quorum. The same people who have provided you funding insist on having a close representative to make sure their money is being spent wisely. That being said, I am to serve you on all aspects of the project and am an elite science expert.”
Just as Ileana stopped speaking, Jonas and Walker came around the corner, pulling a large cart full of equipment.
“Boss, if you’re done rubbing elbows with the captain, we could use your help with this stuff. We still have a whole hangar full of equipment that needs to be moved.”
“Come here boys. I’d like you to meet your new coworker Ileana Krapivitch.”
Will intentionally mispronounced her name, trying to gauge her personality and provide subtle irritation.
“That’s Karkovich,” barked Ileana.
“In any case, please join your new coworkers Jonas Crouse and Hal Walker in moving these supplies to the lab. We believe in hard work around here, and it begins right now.”
As Daniels had said, he felt as if he’d just had his bollocks, to use Daniels term, removed by the look she gave him. She reluctantly went with Walker as Jonas stayed behind.
“Wow, she’s a happy girl. What’s her story?” asked Jonas.
“I haven’t figured that out yet. Keep an eye on her and make sure she’s kept busy.”
“I’ll do my best, but I get the impression she can do worse to me than blast me through a wall.”
“Me too, Jonas. Me too,” said Will, nodding affirmatively.
Jonas walked away briskly as not to leave Walker alone with Karkovich for too long. Will once again stared at the entrance to the black corridor, and his curiosity began to get the better of him. He wondered if this might have anything to do with the project in the Folands or with the discovery Stanzic had showed him. The fact that his team was specifically supposed to be placed away from this area made him even more curious. He pressed his face against the tinted black window, trying to see into the other side, but the tint was too thick and gave no clue as to what might be through the door. Finally he gave up and joined Jonas, Karkovich, and Walker in the new lab facilities.
“Will, look at this. We have twice the space we had before. This is great,” said Jonas happily.
“You can thank Captain Daniels for that. From what I understand he took great pains to find us a top notch location,” said Will, knowing Daniels’s true intentions.
Will watched to see Ileana’s reaction, but she remained expressionless, helping Walker move equipment into place. As she bent down to pick up a small box, Will could see an access card hanging from her neck. It had no markings and was held around her neck by an unusually large black band. He was sure this was her access key to the black corridor. She became aware of the fact that it had slipped out of her blouse and immediately tucked it back in while glaring up at Will.
“Dr. Karkovich, please proceed to the hangar bay to assist Davis. He needs help loading the next cart full of equipment,” said Will, deciding to have a little fun at Ileana’s expense.
“Dr. O’Neil.” Will could hear her emphasis on “doctor,” obviously to bring light to the fact that she too held that title. “I am not a laborer; I’m a twenty-year—”
Will interrupted, “Twenty years? How long have you been on the Telos team?”
He could see her anger building as she searched for an answer that wouldn’t play into his hands. Jonas chimed in, following Will’s lead.
“Well, boss, I’d say she’s been one of us for about twenty minutes.”
Ileana shot Jonas the most piercing look that Will had seen her make yet. Jonas cringed as if to avoid its effects and realized this wasn’t really a smart move. Will seemed to be doing fine without his help, and it might be safer to be quiet, he thought. Besides, he could see that Will was enjoying every minute of this, and he hadn’t seen him this happy for a long time.
“Right you are Jonas, twenty minutes. Dr. Karkovich, are you familiar with the setup of this equipment or its operation?”
“This is basic equipment, and it would only take me a few—”
“So the answer is no,” said Will, as the hazing continued. “That means that I need these two men, who do know the equipment, with me to begin setting up while you assist Davis with moving the rest. Is there a problem, Dr. Karkovich?”
Ileana paused, once again trying to keep her frustration under control. “No, Dr. O’Neil. It is not a problem.” She once again shot daggers at Will, and turned and left the room in a huff.
Will smiled devilishly, looking extremely proud of himself for winning round one with his new government spy. He could see that Jonas wasn’t reveling in his victory and was still scared from the look he’d received earlier.
“It’s going to be interesting around here, isn’t it, boss?” said Jonas as he continued setting up the equipment.
“I think I’m going to enjoy this new situation. I can take my frustration out on our new government appointee.”
Within a week, the Telos project lived once again, high above the surface of Mars. Will continued to intentionally make it difficult for Ileana, but couldn’t help but admire her iron will in the way she sucked it up. He was pleasantly surprised at her knowledge of the project; it was obvious she’d spent a large amount of time preparing for this assignment, probably for the purpose of spying on him.
“Dr. O’Neil, I will be stepping out to lunch.”
“That’s fine, Dr. Karkovich. Make sure to be back in fifteen minutes.”
Ileana had begun to expect extra tough treatment from Will and didn’t even bother to become aggravated at his demands anymore. She left the room, and Jonas waited until she disappeared out of view down the hallway.
“How long are you going to keep hammering her?” asked Jonas. “I actually kind of feel sorry for the ice queen.”
“Until I know what her purpose here is, I won’t let my guard down. You and I are the only ones up here who know what’s going on in the Folands. I know she has something to do with it, and I also know that her knowledge of Telos goes far beyond what your average person would know. Especially, having just been assigned to the team. She’s been studying this for years and ask yourself, why? Why would she be tasked with knowing everything there is to know about a project that for all intents and purposes was dead?”
“I don’t know, boss, but she does seem to know it all.”
“I want you to follow her.”
“What!” exclaimed Jonas, turning a pale gray color as he tried to loosen his collar to help himself breath.
“I want you to follow her. She leaves for lunch and breaks, yet we never see her until she comes back. She’s never in the commissary or break room eating. I want to know if she’s going to the black corridor, or somewhere else.”
“Boss, listen. I wasn’t going to say anything,” he said quietly, looking around to see if anyone else could hear. “but I have a lunch date with Oria Stultz, that cute blonde girl from communications. We’ve been kind of seeing each other.”
A huge smile appeared on Will’s face. “Are you holding out on me—a date?” asked Will, unable to control his surprise. “Or are you just trying to get out of this. We just got here last week and you have a date?”
“And that’s exactly why you don’t know about it!” Jonas yelled loudly.
“What?” asked Will with a false expression of bewilderment. “I was just asking if—”
“I know that tone!” said Jonas, pointing at Will. “Yes—I have a date—with a real girl!” he shouted, now red in the face. He shook his head in embarrassment, as Walker and Davis walked past laughing, and went into the break room. �
��Look! You see what you did. I’ll never hear the end of this from those knuckleheads!” he whined, slumping into a chair.
“Calm down, those guys will be on to the next thing in no time. You’ll see, give it a few weeks,” said Will, knowing it would be months of subtle torment at best. Jonas spun the chair around and thumped his head down on the desk.
“Jonas, listen to me,” said Will now with a more serious tone. “I need you to do this, it’s important. If she sees me following her, it will be too obvious. We have to find out what she’s up to.” Will spun the chair so Jonas was now facing him again.
“OK, but if I don’t come back…” Jonas barked, as he stood up sending the chair rolling across the lab.
“If you don’t come back, I guess Ileana gets a promotion,” Will laughed, amused by Jonas’s obvious fear of the woman.
Jonas shook his head and went reluctantly down the same corridor they’d seen her follow. He walked quickly to catch up to her, and as he came to the turn, he slowly peered around the corner. He saw Ileana at the entrance of the black corridor, as Will had suspected. She looked around to see if anyone was looking, and for a moment, he thought she’d spotted him. She pulled the access card from around her neck, slid it into the control console on the wall, and proceeded to enter a security code that caused the door to slide open. As she looked around one more time, Jonas quickly pulled his head out of sight back around the corner. After a few seconds, he slowly looked back around the corner and was horrified to see a pair of shiny black shoes, connected to the women that scared him most in the world.
“Oh, Dr. Karkovich, I, uh…”
Ileana grabbed Jonas by the throat, applying just enough pressure to make him uncomfortable. He could feel her long nails digging into his skin.
“You are following me, on orders from Dr. O’Neil, no doubt,” said Ileana coldly.
“I uh, no I’m just—”
Destiny Earth Page 14