Pearl of the Stars

The Pearl of the Stars pulled away from the MRV, her repairs completed. Captain Grace Ifhans watched from her station as her pilot, Johnson, guided her vessel smoothly into formation with the rest of her unit.

“There is an incoming message from the Razor, Ma’am.”

“Thank you Lieutenant, play audio.”

“It is highly encrypted Ma’am,” the Lieutenant replied.

“Then put it through to my station and my station alone.”

“Aye Ma’am.” The Lieutenant did as he was asked, and moments later Captain Jane Erstwhile’s image appeared upon her screen.

“What can I do for you Captain?”

“I need to talk with you privately Ma’am,” Captain Erstwhile replied.

“We cannot be overheard, you may speak freely.”

“I believe I know the origin of the explosive devices that were set to destroy much of the Fleet upon exit from the Victoria system.” On the screen, Captain Erstwhile turned her head first left then right, as if ensuring no one upon her own vessel was listening in to the conversation. “One of the MRV’s, the Panzer. The man you’re looking for is a technician named Herbert.”

“Are you certain?”

“As certain as I can be, yes Ma’am,” Jane Erstwhile replied.

“Thank you Captain,” said Grace as she terminated the call. Immediately she put another call through, this time to Major Hynes’ personal communications device. It took the Major a few moments to answer, but answer he did. Grace relayed to him the information given to her by Captain Erstwhile, and allowed a few seconds for the information to sink in.

“Do we think him a spy?” Hynes asked eventually.

“As yet I do not know,” replied Grace. “However there is only one way to find out.”

“I shall see to it Ma’am. A squadron of marines will bring him to the Pearl shortly.”

“Thank you Major. I do not need to remind you to instruct your marines to use discretion.”

“No Ma’am, you do not.”

***

It was several hours later that Captain Grace Ifhans stepped wearily out of the interrogation room.

“He knows something,” she heard the voice of Grayson, the technician on duty in the interrogation department, over her personal coms. “It seems though that he has had some conditioning to withstand our mind reading technology.”

“How?” Grace asked irritably. She was tired and hungry, and wanted nothing more than to take a long soak in the tub. “It is relatively new tech. Even I have not received anything by way of conditioning.”

“It is certainly a conundrum Ma’am,” Grayson replied.

“It is more than a fickling conundrum!” Grace yelled in reply. “It’s a bloody piss take is what it is,” she paused to light a cigarette. “I want the name of everyone, Fleet or otherwise, who had access to the tech before its implementation.”

“Aye Ma’am, I shall have that list within twelve hours.”

“Make sure you do.”

Grace headed to her quarters. The repairs to the rest of the Fleet would not be complete for fifteen hours. Then and only then could they jump to Galahad in pursuit of the enemy fleet.

Once alone in her sizeable quarters, Grace drew a bath, adding a generous helping of salts. Such luxuries would not last forever but whilst they were available she fully intended to make good use of them.

She undressed slowly, placing her uniform neatly upon her bunk. When she was suitably attired in a bath robe, she put a call through to Major Hynes.

“Yes Ma’am,” said Hynes upon his answering.

“I want Herbert monitored twenty-four seven. I want to know every single detail of his life; who he talks to, what he’s working on. Fick, I want to know how long he waits before he swims after eating.” She rolled her shoulders in a futile effort to relieve some of the tension there. “He’s involved somehow, and I will find out in what respect.”

“Yes Ma’am,” Hynes replied and with a lingering glance at his Captain’s image on screen, he terminated the call, leaving Grace in peace.

She allowed the robe to drop to the bathroom floor, and stepped quickly into the steaming tub. Gently she lowered her body until all but her head was submerged.

Her mind was racing. She knew Herbert was not acting alone, and had she been the betting type she would have put money on either Frost or Hubbard being involved. Without proof though, that was nothing more than speculation.

She would find the proof she needed though, and whomever was involved, Captain Grace Ifhans would see to it they paid the ultimate price.