by K Bledsoe
“Companion?” Diarmin carefully packed away his tools and covered his work area with a small plastic shield so the tiny pieces wouldn’t shift. “Sounds like you got some interesting information. Let’s head up to the lounge so that teenage bottomless pit won’t eat all my treats.” As he climbed the stairs he yelled, “Allison! Family meeting!”
***
“Well. That was definitely interesting,” said Diarmin. They had all gathered in the lounge on the middle deck, a common area in the center of the ship on the same level as the bedrooms. One side of the lounge held the galley where Quinn was currently fixing something more substantial to eat than a handful of snacks. The rest of the family were seated, not around the dining table, but in comfortable chairs and a couch that surrounded a group of small tables pushed together in the middle.
“From the picture, I knew this boy was probably important, but I really had no idea he was so close to the royalty. Which reminds me.” Lenore peeled a thin strip from her fingertip and handed it to Diarmin on the couch. “Here is whatever data I could pull about the tattoo.”
He deposited it in his shirt pocket.
“I’ll put it in the scanner later.”
The scanner was only one of his many machines in his workshop, but it would read every detail of information stored in the tiny fingertip sensor.
Lenore continued. “A Bonded Companion. Why didn’t we catch that particular nugget of information? Sounds like it is a well-known fact.”
Allison was tapping madly on her pad, but she answered quickly. “I remember lots of references to companions, but I thought they simply meant friends, so I ignored the term.” She shook her head. “Sorry, should have caught that. Let me check my notes on local traditions.”
“Not your fault, Alli. We all missed it. Too focused on the details instead of generalities.” Lenore patted her daughter on the shoulder. “At least that news printing came in handy. How did you find his image in the first place?”
“I just activated the camera he had turned off when he answered our message, then used the photo I took to run a scan to find anything public,” Allison answered absently without even looking up from her pad. “No…no…not that.” Each of her negatives were punctuated with a swipe on the pad. “Boy, no wonder we didn’t find anything. Lots of references to companions but nothing specific. Ah, finally. Looks like the word ‘bonded’ is necessary…” She trailed off as she began reading what she had found.
“Allison, hello, aloud please,” said Diarmin.
Allison blinked and smiled. “Sorry. Lots of stuff if you input ‘bonded companion’ so this one is a relevant article. ‘A bonded companion is a lifelong friend and bodyguard to the heir. In the past, families proudly presented their children in hopes for a possible bonding even though the bonded ones rarely saw their families again. The past four Royal Companions, however, were taken from orphanages to become a member of the royal family when King Rhimen the Fourth decreed that no family should suffer such a loss.’”
She swiped some more, and a frown wrinkled her forehead. “Even with all this information there is nothing really personal about Lavan, only public. And so very little. Someone that important should be everywhere. Same thing with the prince. Strange.” She sat back in her chair, legs pulled up, chin to her chest in what Quinn called her “ponder position.”
“Well, she’s out of the conversation for a bit,” said Quinn. He sat in another chair, pulling a low table next to him to deposit his food on. “How soon do you think we will hear from him?”
Lenore looked at her son. He seemed to have shed his anger at being cut off midsentence. Seemed as good a time as ever to discuss his performance.
“Soon enough, but let’s continue our earlier conversation that was so rudely interrupted by the follower.”
Quinn’s face reddened slightly. Diarmin cleared his throat, evidently reading the disapproval from his wife.
“First of all, Quinn,” she said, “never, and I mean never, break your role until you are in a safe place, preferably the ship.”
“But I thought that was only for the public, not our contact. You know, blend in while anyone else might be looking but not when alone or private. You even told him you weren’t a baroness, so I figured that was a sign to ease up on our cover.”
“I told him that to make him feel more comfortable, the same reason I wanted Lavan to think you were a local boy. Also, a servant or even assistant tends to be ignored or dismissed as irrelevant. Which would have been perfect for what you were supposed to do, observe only.”
Quinn’s face took on a stubbornness that he rarely showed. “But I got him to talk, to tell us the truth.”
“That wasn’t your job!” She felt her husband’s hand on her arm which helped to remind her that for all his skills, Quinn was only fifteen. She cleared her face of what she was sure was a similar stubborn look and took a slow breath.
“We already knew he wasn’t who he said he was,” she held up a hand to forestall another comment, “and there is a great deal to be learned from the stories that people make up to hide the truth.”
Quinn closed his mouth on whatever he was going to say and blinked rapidly. He tilted his head slightly, evidently considering this new information. Lenore felt a squeeze on her arm and turned to smile at Diarmin. More proof of Quinn’s intelligence that he paused to consider what was said.
“What sort of stuff can we learn from his storytelling?”
“Things like the way his mind works, how he feels, whether he can keep a story straight, his personality, and much more.”
“But you probably got all that within five minutes of him speaking.”
“Yes, but I have years of experience, observing and learning.” That should make the point.
“Well, at least I got him to give up the information about the tattoo before he had to leave so suddenly.”
Ok, so the point was only half made. “Yes.” Lenore was reluctant to say so, but he was right. “You did help there but next time, observe only. And stay in character.”
“But…”
Allison suddenly leapt out of her chair in one fluid movement, ignoring her family’s startled glances.
“I know why I haven’t found anything. And now I know exactly where to start looking. But I have to have my computer.” With no further explanation, she dashed out and Lenore could hear pounding feet on the ladder to the bridge.
***
As Lenore and Quinn followed Allison up the stairs at a more sedate pace, Diarmin headed back down to his workshop to activate his scanner and drop in the finger pad sensor. It clicked merrily away and indicated at least twenty minutes to complete the analysis. Huh, must be some strange anomalies detected. He linked his hand-held to the scanner and headed to the bridge.
Allison was furiously hitting keys and mumbling under her breath while Quinn sat next to her in the navigator seat and tried to follow what she was doing. Diarmin approached Lenore who was leaning against the science console behind the command center. He placed the tablet between them on the console so that they could examine the data together.
“Scanner is going to take a while to process all the info on the tattoo. Wait, look at that.”
“These are some strange readings for a tattoo,” Lenore said. “You’re the one who reads diagnostics, what do you think?”
“Well, this indicates ink and flesh molecules, normal for any tattoo but these,” he tapped his index finger on the screen. “These are some sort of, well, I would say microscopic machines but with organic components as well. Very odd. Not your basic, simple tattoo, I would say.”
“Nothing about this case is simple. A princess, and her companion that nobody talks about, missing for over eighteen years, the companion of her replacement, perhaps rival, is risking serious repercussion to look for her, tattoos with tiny implants and strangers following us for no obvious reason.” She looked at him. “Did I leave anything out?”
“Other than the fact that we ar
e on solid ground and don’t have to depend on faulty gravity plates? And while we are in dock we aren’t burning any fuel.”
“But we are paying dock fees.”
“Which will be reimbursed by our employer.”
“If we find the girls which seems less likely with each passing minute.”
“We have our health.”
Both burst out laughing, and Lenore put her hand on Diarmin’s face. “You are such an optimist.”
“And you are the family pessimist, my dear.” He grabbed her hand and kissed it.
“Realist, not pessimist.”
“Aha! Found it, or rather him,” crowed Allison, breaking the moment. “Check it out.”
She spun the computer terminal around to display a face that looked like any of the planet’s native population. “This guy is responsible for the lack of any information on the royal family.”
“It’s a terrible picture,” said Quinn.
Allison made a face. “Well, I just barely got it. He noticed my hack and deleted it in seconds, so we have to make do with this. Good thing I never leave a trail. This guy is good.” She smirked. “But of course, I am better.”
Diarmin shook his head. He worried what would happen when Allison finally met her match. It would be, well, let’s just say somewhere just below Armageddon.
“How did you find him?” asked her mother.
“Well, I figured there were two possible reasons that there was very little information about people who are famous. One is that they never leave their home and avoid all public appearances. But, the news article I found shows that really isn’t true, and I also found several innocuous references that would indicate similar things. You know, vague descriptions that could be anyone, but in context must be the royalty. So, that leaves the fact that someone has been deleting everything about the prince, king and companion.”
“Deleting? Everything?” asked Diarmin. “Why?”
Allison shrugged. “No idea. Privacy, I’d guess, but look at these security images I pulled up.” She tapped a few times and there was a video showing Lenore and Quinn leaving the restaurant where they had met the companion. “See, here you two are, and let me back it up so you can see…. ah there. See that break?”
“Um, no,” said Quinn, shifting restlessly on his chair.
Diarmin figured it was most likely because he realized here was another reason to stay in character.
Allison gave an exasperated sigh. “I’ll go slower then.” She reduced the speed of image, rewound and tracked the video, watching a variety of people come out. Then, right as the door was opening again, a line tracked down the middle, and the picture jumped ever so slightly.
“That just looks like static,” said Quinn.
“Well, maybe to you, but it happens exactly when the companion was leaving, and the fact that there is no video of it proves something was cut.”
“How do you know this wasn’t a single glitch?” asked Lenore.
“Well, that cut has a certain…I don’t know what you’d call it… imprint? Signature? Shape?” Allison waved her hands. “Anyway, I created a program to search for that particular flaw and found it throughout video feeds going back for years. Then I tracked them all back to the source, and there was the guy.” She turned back to her computer and resumed her work. “Now I just need to figure out who he is.” She bit her lip in concentration.
Chapter Thirteen
“Jonah Wilkerson!”
The man behind the computer terminal nearly jumped out of his skin. “You don’t have to yell, Ginette,” he said to the woman who was his replacement for the night shift. He quickly tapped the board to clear the video he had been looking at.
“Yes, I did, boss.” she answered. “I called your name three times. What has you so enrapt that you were off in dreamland?” She bent over his terminal, peering at the screen, but he had already locked it up.
“Nothing,” he said. “Just observing some random video feeds.”
“Looked like a woman to me. A pretty good looking one too. Ha, look at you blush. Caught you,” Ginette laughed heartily. “Oh, don’t be embarrassed. She was a looker all right, though I prefer them with a bit more meat on their bones.”
Jonah gathered his stuff and shoved it all in his bag. “Yeah, Ginette. It’s common knowledge what kind of women you like.”
She stuck her tongue out at him and took his seat. “Anything interesting happen with the royals today?”
“Nothing really,” he replied, carefully looking down, pretending to rearrange things in his bag. He didn’t know how she felt about the prince and didn’t want to explain what had happened that day. “The boys are in their chambers and most likely will sleep the night away. The king is in the conference suite as usual. Alone.”
“Wow, early for the prince, isn’t it?” she said in a neutral voice. “Makes my job easier. Anything else I should know?”
“There has been some hacking again, probably from the local media like usual. Nothing important I’m sure, but let me know if it happens again so I can track down the source.”
“Ok, will do.” She logged on and waggled her fingers over her shoulder. “See you tomorrow, Master Voyeur.”
He left before she saw his face redden again. Today had been an odd day. First Companion Lavan met with strangers without the prince’s knowledge. Then those strangers were followed by someone obviously from the poor side of the city. Jonah assumed it had to do with the ad to find the missing princess which he should have deleted but couldn’t bring himself to. He desperately wanted to find her as well. And maybe that’s why his mind had tricked him into seeing something that wasn’t there.
He shook his head and stuck his hand in his pocket to feel the portable data stick. It was illegal to take anything from the palace, but he had to know. Not only who the off-worlders were, but also the identity of the woman who had been following them. He had to be sure.
“Hello.”
He turned, startled again, and found himself face to face with the prince, or looking down at him since the prince was three inches shorter despite his seventeen years.
“Oh, um, hello, Your Highness.” He began to bow to hide his red face, heart hammering even harder.
“Please, no formalities. I’m sorry, I forgot your name.” Prince Hahn put a hand out to halt Jonah’s bow. The hand on his shoulder did not comfort Jonah but did exactly the opposite.
“Chief Reviewer Wilkerson, Your Highness.” He resisted the temptation to put his hand back in his pocket, acutely aware of the illegal data.
“I said no formalities. Prince Hahn will do.” His steely tone belied his friendly words. Hahn smiled. “You seem surprised to see me, Reviewer. I thought you always had eyes on us.”
“My shift is over, Your…er… Prince Hahn. I was on my way home.” Jonah’s mind raced. Though he saw the prince every day through the cameras, he had only met him twice at formal affairs, and the prince had never come down to the security areas ever that he knew of. Had he been caught? Was the prince about to accuse him of stealing data? “Reviewer Previn is on duty now if you need anything.”
“No, no. It’s you I’m looking for. Come. Walk with me.” The prince put an arm around Jonah’s shoulder even though he was shorter and much younger.
“Wh—what can I do for you?”
“I am sure you are aware of most things that go on in the palace. How is my father? He rarely tells me anything, and I worry for his health.”
“His Majesty is quite well and performing his duties with his usual excellent capabilities.”
“Good, good.” Hahn went on to ask several questions in that friendly/not friendly voice that Jonah recognized as an attempt to charm. Most people were taken in by the prince’s smiles and personable attitude, but Jonah saw him every day and knew his true heart.
“How about my companion? He seems a bit unhappy lately, and I can’t quite put my finger on why. I thought you might have some insight.”
Jonah th
ought very carefully before answering. What did the prince know? Did he suspect Lavan was looking for the lost princess? Or even meeting with strangers?
“I do not know, Your Highness.”
The prince halted, his arm also stopping Jonah before he removed it from Jonah’s shoulders. The absence of the prince’s arm caused Jonah to sigh in relief. Until the next words.
“Look at me, Reviewer Wilkerson.” The prince stared back as Jonah raised his head to meet the prince’s eyes. “You are loyal to the family, are you not?”
“The king has my absolute, unswerving loyalty.” He realized his slip as he saw Hahn’s eyes narrow. “And the family as well, of course.” Jonah’s eyes flicked around, looking for the nearest security cameras to capture the prince’s threatening position. His anxiety rose another notch as he realized they had wandered the hallways to the gardens, one of the three places in the entire palace that had no security cameras.
The prince pursed his lips before he spoke, and Jonah knew he was in trouble. “And you have seen nothing odd or out of the ordinary concerning Lavan?”
“Well, I, uh, have also noticed he seems a bit down, but I am at a loss to know why, Your Highness. He seems to be staying in his rooms quite a bit and reading a lot. Perhaps he is simply lonely.” Jonah wondered if that sounded as weak as it felt.
“Do you mean to say I have something to do with this?”
“No, no not at all.” A drop of sweat trickled down his back despite the cool night air. “I was thinking lonely in the female sense of the word.”
The prince’s eyes opened wide, and he threw his head back laughing, a completely unexpected reaction.
“I hadn’t considered that,” he said, still chuckling. “I shall have to see about correcting that for poor Lavan.” A wave of relief swept over Jonah, but it was brief.