by C. R. Daems
"That you were available," he said with a smile. "To a vice admiral, the question is rhetorical."
I smiled as I rode the elevator to the eighteenth floor and marched down the hallway to Lulltrel's office. The petty officer opened the door after a knock, and closed it after I entered. I braced to attention and saluted. Before I could speak, Lulltrel waved a quick salute and spoke.
"Have a seat, Paulus. I'm informed the Cruiser Scylla is arriving later today and will be available to take you wherever you want to go. Captain Choi is the captain. I understand you know him."
"I've met Captain Choi, ma'am. He was part of the three-cruiser squadron searching for the Smugglers."
"Any potential problems? There are a few captains who sympathize with Captain Sharat and feel she got a raw deal because of you." She held up a hand to stop me responding. "We can't change what they think but I don't want a repeat of the incident with Captain Dixon." She gave a snort. "Admiral Webb forced him to retire because of his unwarranted aggression against you, which many will conclude was unfair and blame you."
"I haven't had any problems with Captain Choi, ma'am."
"I've told Colonel Pannell and I’m telling you, if you feel threatened, invoke your P1A authority and leave at the first opportunity." She held my eyes until I nodded. "Captain Choi will be expecting you tomorrow morning." When I began to stand she waved me to sit. "Since you are likely to be gone for at least a couple of weeks, who do you want to leave in charge?" she asked, surprising me. I wasn't used to being in charge.
"Commander Newman, he is the senior officer in the group."
"Interesting, Paulus. I initially thought he might be a problem for you, and I understand his actions bordered on insubordination, yet you never complained. That worried me. The military can't tolerate junior officers criticizing senior officers. It can lead to a breakdown in discipline…and poor morale. So I was relieved when he asked to be transferred but, frankly, concerned you hadn't written him up." She paused for a sip of coffee but her eyes never left me. "When he asked me to tear up his transfer, I didn't know what to think. He admitted to being angry at you since he had more time in his current grade than you have in service. He said he realized it was his problem and not yours. He had fought you while you had supported him and were extremely insightful. So he decided he had a lot to learn from you and wanted to stay."
I wasn't sure what to say so I said nothing.
"I think he's right. Although you have a very unmilitary style, it works. Everyone who comes in contact with you likes you. So Commander Paulus, be careful. I don't want to lose my Eastar NIA Station Chief."
* * *
"Commander Paulus, Captain Choi said he would like to see you when you arrived. Petty Officer Durell will take your luggage and Lieutenant Barnett will show you to the Captain's office," the Lieutenant Commander on duty said after he got over his shock of a Full Commander who looked like she just graduated college, had ribbons which should be on a vice admiral's uniform, and verified the krait around her neck was authorized. I didn't blame him—I also found it hard to reconcile. I was a bit nervous when the Captain said he would like to see you when you arrived greeting, which felt like my introduction to Captain Dixon. Fortunately, Lieutenant Barnett wasn't rushing me or feeling anxious, rather, he was friendly and cheerful.
"That's an impressive set of medals, ma'am," he said, nodding at my ribbons. "And earned the hard way, judging by the Purple Hearts."
"Just a matter of being in the right place at the wrong time," I said with a short laugh. "At the time, you are just trying to survive…and afterward, wonder why you survived and others didn't," I said. We were both quiet for the rest of the walk. The Marine guard at Choi's office door knocked when he saw us coming and had the door open when we arrived. When I entered, Pannell followed. Choi appeared to take no offense.
"Welcome aboard, Commander Paulus, and congratulations on your promotion. Please get yourself something to drink," he said, and waited until I sat. When I did he sat in the facing chair. "If it's not classified, I'd appreciate knowing your plans. I was only told you have P1A authority and I'm your chauffer for as long as you need me."
"The Project is designated as Rabbit," I said and he smiled, which surprised me.
"Any project with the name Rabbit has got to be potentially dangerous," he said, confirming my impression of him last time. He was a shrewd man.
"For your information only." I waited for him to nod. "Seven merchants have gone missing over the past year without a trace. We believe they were hijacked probably by foreign cruisers. We are long on theory and short on facts. So I'm on a hunt for information. First stop Stone Ring and then Westar."
"I'm delighted to be your chauffer, Commander Paulus. You're an exciting person to be around. And foreign cruisers does sound intriguing."
* * *
The trip to Stone Ring was short, less than twenty-four hours. When I departed the Scylla, I was surprised to see Kris waiting. She grabbed me in a tight hug.
"I hope Red hasn't forgotten I'm his nanny," she said as Red appeared from my jacket and wrapped around my neck. "Hi, Red." She stepped back and looked me over. "Hi, Paul. Has my adopted sister been causing trouble that she needs Marine security?"
"She's an intriguing person to be around, Kris," he said, while continuing to scan the area.
"So, little sister, what are you doing in Stone Ring?" Kris asked when Pannell didn't elaborate.
"I thought I’d check on your progress in finding that father of your children," I quipped.
"At least I’ve been able to find several eligible mates, men who prefer to live on land and not in space submarines." She laughed.
"How do you like being in charge of a NIA station?" I asked, curious, since as far as I knew she had never been in charge of a group.
"I love it, although I have to admit it was a bit daunting in the beginning—people calling me ma'am, having to write evaluations, responsible for the station, etc. And I'm young for a commander. How about you?"
"It's worked out better than I’d thought. You may be young for a commander, but I'm young for a full lieutenant." I spent an hour giving Kris a recap of my first several months.
"Judging from your inquires, Lulltrel has given you free reign and you are chasing something. As much as I love you, I hope you aren't here to enlist my help." She gave me a hard look and I could feel her nervousness
"I am here to enlist your help, but only to collect and review information with me. I don't want to interfere with you finding a husband." I smiled. I spent the next two hours going over my expanded role for Lulltrel, what we had discovered about the missing merchants, and my theory of a criminal organization operating from several cruisers.
"Wow. You have been busy. Where do you want to start?"
"I'd like to speak to the Chief of police and go over the cases you sent me," I said, hoping seeing the actual police report and talking with Kris might generate an idea or two. Kris had a ground vehicle waiting and drove me to her condo: a two bedroom unit with two bathrooms, living and dining rooms, and a small room she had converted into an office. The furniture looked new and a mixture of modern and traditional—all-in-all a very warm and comfortable unit. As I stored my clothes in her spare bedroom, she made coffee and put together snacks for us to nibble on.
"You think there are Marines and sailors for hire on several of our UAS Cruisers?" she asked as I sat. "Who are part of a larger criminal organization?"
"Yes. Judging from what I've found on Eastar and what you found on Stone Ring, I think it's safe to assume personnel on cruisers Ceto and Graese are involved." I showed Kris the incidents and the cruisers in port during those killings."
"Although it's not proof, it certainly requires investigation. How do you think they are getting their information? WavCom?" Kris asked, frowning in thought.
"I think the WavCom would be too complex. No, I checked with Admiral Tagger, who is responsible for Naval Operations. Cruisers are general
ly assigned a circuit for a year or two and then rotated. Although military exercises and circumstances can disrupt ship assignments. Like right now I have the Scylla for my transportation here and to Westar to see Adrian."
"If you want someone killed, you wouldn't likely assign an individual, since it could be months before he, or she, gets to the right system. Better to have the person or persons check at each system when they arrive."
"Especially if I'm right and the organization isn't exclusively killers for hire, but are also involved in smuggling and information selling."
"Which might connect them to the Hijackers," Kris said excitedly. "That would suggest multiple groups involved. When they dock at a system they check in to see if there are any contracts and update whatever information their organization is tracking."
"The question is--how do they check in?" I said, hoping Kris might have some ideas.
"A number to call, a place to go…the Internet!" she shouted. I nodded agreement.
"I agree. A number, person, or place would be a weak link. An Internet link is harder to trace to a person and easy to change. But how do we determine the website they are using?" I asked. It seemed like a catch-22. I needed a suspect to find the website, but without a website I couldn't find a suspect. We sat there in silence for a long time.
"Close your eyes," Kris suddenly said. I shrugged and closed my eyes. "You are a Marine and part of a secret criminal organization. The work is exciting and you are making more money doing these special jobs than your military salary." She paused, giving me time to get into my part of her scenario. I imagined getting washed and dressed for shore leave. I nodded. "What do you do?"
The thought struck me that I don't have a lot of shore leave, or at least can't count on it, and I don't know how long the job will take. "I connect to the Internet as fast as I can." I blurted. "And I can't do that until the ship docks. But when it does, I can connect through the ship's connection to the space station." I hugged Kris.
Kris nodded. "I assume the ship keeps some kind of a log. The question will be for how long and how much detail."
* * *
"We entered the cement four-story octagon-shaped building that served as the Stone Ring Police Headquarters. After verifying we had an appointment with the Police Chief, Ortiz, we received visitor passes and were allowed to enter the elevators. When we exited, a young officer met us and directed us to his office. Ortiz was a tall thin man in his fifties, with a narrow face and close-cut brown hair.
"Good morning, Commander Sinclair and this is Commander Paulus," he said hesitantly as his eyes appraised me and my security. "If I'm not mistaken, that red-headed krait on your shoulder can keep the Coaca Virus in check."
"Yes, sir. He adopted me when I was four years old. Our relationship is symbiotic."
"That explains why it isn't in a research facility." He pursed his lips. "I understand you are interested in several of our local killings." He emphasized local.
"Yes, sir. Admiral Lulltrel has tasked me to monitor the monthly NIA office reports, looking for possible events that could be related to criminal organizations operating around the UAS. Several reports I've seen suggest there might be a killers-for-hire organization. I'm collecting information at several systems to determine if further investigation is warranted."
"As I told Commander Sinclair, the cases we identified looked like robberies on the surface but… I've been a policeman for many years and they didn't feel right." He spent the next two hours reviewing the eight cases where a person was killed. In the end, I agreed the three killings he and Kris had selected were the most likely to fit what I was looking for. The persons killed either hadn't been carrying enough money to attract a thief, or the thief had left items on the person which a small time thief or addict would have taken, or the weapon used made the killing seemed intentional. It was late when we finished and Kris suggested we stop at a local Chinese restaurant and eat at her place. I asked Pannell to join us.
"What do you think, Paul?" Kris asked halfway through our meal. He sat quietly for a long while.
"Most Marines consider the Commandos a brotherhood, comrades you would gladly risk your life for. And ironically, I'd wager these individuals also think the same way." He shook his head violently like a dog out of water. "It diminishes everything we stand for. And the thought of an organization of such individuals makes me sick. I hope you're wrong, Anna. But if you aren't, I'd like them spaced for the sake of the good men and women. It's a scandal that will tarnish everyone."
* * *
"Commander Paulus, I'm afraid we can't leave until late tonight—"
I held up my hand. "Anna, please. I didn't ask to see you about leaving. I'm here and ready to leave when you and the ship are ready. No, I thought you might be able to help me."
"If I can, Anna."
"First, this is a P1A investigation and must be kept between you and me without Admiral Webb's permission," I said, reluctant to discuss this with anyone, but I needed help.
Choi laughed. "If I need Admiral Webb's permission, I think it's going to stay between you and me."
"If I were to use my tablet to logon to the Scylla's system connection to the spaceport, would there be a record anyplace?" I asked, trying to ease into this discussion. Although he was looking at me, I had the feeling his mind was sorting out the issues.
"Yes. The system would log the connection and the entire session." His eye lids narrowed to where he almost looked asleep.
"Now long would the system keep the information?"
"I have no idea," he said, cautiously indicating he didn't like the way the conversation was going.
"Captain Choi, I am invoking P1A authority, since I know you will be uncomfortable with what I'm going to ask, but you have my word I'm not investigating anyone on your ship. I need the answer as part of what I am working on. And I will explain what I'm pursuing." I waited for him to nod before continuing. "I want you to query the system, pick any session from today, and send it to my tablet."
Choi stared at me for a long time before picking up his tablet and typing. It took him several minutes before he looked up and nodded, but said nothing. I looked at my tablet. Everything I needed appeared there and it hadn't been erased for at least twenty-four hours.
"Thank you, Captain Choi. Admiral Lulltrel expanded my role…" I spent almost two hours explaining what alerted me to a potential problem, the information I had collected, the correlation to the cruisers docking, and my speculation that they must communicate via the Internet. When I finished he rose and made a cup of tea, mixed me a cup of coffee, and sat down facing me.
"Thank you, Anna. With P1A authority you owe me no explanation, but I will sleep much better knowing why. Knowing there are murderers in our military and on our ships isn't too surprising. The military is a cross section of the UAS, which isn't perfect. But if we can get rid of the garbage, I'd like that and am willing to help." He took a sip of tea. "Be careful, Anna. If you are right, you will be number one on their hit list."
* * *
The trip to Westar took six days, but Choi helped me pass the time by encouraging his staff to give me tours of their sections and inviting me to have dinner with him each night.
"How long do you expect to be in Westar?" he asked as I prepared to leave the Scylla.
"Not long, Captain. A few days at most. I need to review of few case reports and meet with the police chief."
Adrian was waiting when the shuttle arrived at the Westar entry port.
"Anna, it's great to see you," he said as he took my hand. "Consider yourself hugged. I'm not as brave as Kris."
"Can't blame you. I doubt Red would bite you and I have the antivenin, but I'm told the ordeal is painful.
"Come, you can stay at my place as long as you are here, and I've arranged for you to meet the chief of police tomorrow. I'd like you to stop by the NIA office. My staff has heard all sorts of stories about you and are eager to meet you and Red." He talked about his staff and the p
rojects he had going as he drove. Like Kris, Adrian had opted for a two bedroom, two bath condo similar to Kris's unit. "It sounds like you have another major project going," he said as we settled down in his living room.
"Two actually. Although they may overlap, I believe they are separate projects: code names Rabbit and Owlet," I said.
He laughed and took a sip of coffee. "Leave it to you to choose two innocuous names. Most commanders would have chosen aggressive names like Project Clean House, or Project Triumph, or Project Vanquish. So what are these innocuous projects?"
"Rabbit is looking into what I believe is a hijacking operation being conducted on merchants operating in the UAS's Northern Rim: Westar, Shadows Rest, Safe Harber and Oasis. Owlet is looking into a criminal organization using military personnel as a mobile For Hire group of killers and smugglers that I believe might be providing the Hijackers information about cruiser assignments." When I finished Adrian was quiet for a long time, sipping his coffee.
"Be careful, Anna. Although we were a team when we broke the Smugglers’ and Raiders’ cases, I think you are more notable because of your age and Red. If they hear you are investigating missing merchants or killings…" He looked to Pannell who was sitting off to the side. Pannell nodded agreement but said nothing.
* * *
The Westar police station was an old-looking three-story brick building from the outside, but had obviously undergone a recent renovation, as the inside was modern looking. The lobby was open to the second floor, modern furniture to sit and chat, a marble reception counter, glass elevators to the third floor, and escalators to the second floor and to a subfloor or floors. After obtaining visitor badges we were escorted via one of the glass elevators to the third floor and Chief Langston's office.
"Good morning, Commander Shrader,” a small but muscular man said as he rose from behind his desk. Although his hair was turning gray, he looked to work out regularly.
"Good morning, Chief Langston, this is Commander Paulus and her security, Colonel Pannell," Adrian said.