Chapter 29: Taking Command

Saria and her security detail arrived at the Captain’s cabin.

“This is where he died?” she asked.

“Yes, Commander.”

“His body in the medical bay? Same cause of death?”

“Yes, Commander.”

“Were the security logs missing?”

“Yes, Commander.”

“At least they were consistent. Did you get any forensic evidence?”

“None, Commander.”

Saria stepped out into the corridor and called Ship on her communicator.

“Ship, we’re missing security logs for both murders. Please do a search and tell me who erased them.”

“Confirmed,” replied Ship. “The credentials match those of the Captain.”

“Thank you. Saria out.”

She closed the call and sighed. The killers had the Captain’s credentials.

Saria turned to face her security detail. “We’re done here.”

While Mart Narvy, the first officer - now my first officer arranged the meeting, I called Jem on my communicator to inform her of my plans.

“Commodore, without our help, this vessel won’t get to their destination. I have taken command and plan to fly it safely to the destination. I ask that Ship travel with us in formation. On arrival, I will return to Ship.”

“Understood, Captain. Once you begin, you must see it through to the destination.”

“Agreed, and I’ll keep you updated. I’m meeting with their senior officers soon. One of them might be a collaborator.”

“Use Saria to help weed out the killers.”

“Will do, Commodore,” I said, and closed the call.

Mart Narvy had finished his business and returned to me.

“How long has your engine been malfunctioning?” I asked.

“Less than a day, Captain.”

“And the passengers don’t know what’s happening?”

“No, Sir. We kept the news quiet to avoid a panic.”

“I should make a ship-wide announcement once we’re underway again. We don’t want to cause a panic.”

Mart Narvy nodded his head. He gestured to Brian to go with him to the bridge.

I called Ship on my communicator.

“Ship, please invite Saria to meet with me in the bridge.”

“Confirmed,” replied Ship.

Mart Narvy and I arrived at the bridge, followed by Saria and the security detail. Soon after, the senior officers arrived, most of whom hadn’t met me before. They were all Ori, and I could tell several recognized me from the news-vids.

I looked at Saria, and she didn’t need to have psychic abilities to understand my unspoken command. She stood to one side, holding her laser carbine at the ready.

“Hello everyone. As you know, this vessel sent out a distress call, and we answered your call. So far, someone assassinated a VIP passenger, sabotaged the hyper-drive, and killed your Captain,” I said.

Several officers nodded, so they knew the news. I wondered if they’d told any of the crew.

“I have taken command of this vessel. We’ll have repairs completed to the hyper-drive soon, and then I intend to deliver everyone safely to our destination, which I understand is Ori Major.

“We don’t want to cause panic among the passengers. If they ask, we had a mechanical issue, which we’ve now resolved. Everything is business as usual until we reach our destination.”

“Are there assassins still on board?” asked an officer.

“Yes, and we intend to root them out during our journey.” I pointed to Saria, who was still holding her laser carbine at the ready. “Let me introduce you to Commander Saria. She will lead the hunt for the assassins and any collaborators. I intend to hand any survivors over to the Ori authorities upon our arrival,” I replied.

Saria had a grim expression, and several officers looked worried.

Just then, I received a call from Cathy on my communicator.

“Captain, we’ve returned with the manifold,” said Cathy.

“Understood. Stay in the shuttle bay. I’ll send Saria to meet you.”

I closed the call and turned towards Saria.

“Commander, Cathy has returned. Please meet her, and escort them to engineering,” I said.

She studied the crew before looking back at me.

“Yes, Captain,” she said. She left the bridge with the security detail following her. I looked back at the officers.

“Be certain not to make any threatening moves toward my Commander. I don’t want anyone killed over a misunderstanding.”

“Yes, Sir!” said one officer nearby.

“Once they repair the engine and we’re underway again, please calm and reassure the passengers. If you see anything suspicious, please report it to me or to Commander Saria. It’s not your job to take on the assassins. We’ll take care of that.”

“Understood, Sir!” said the same officer.

“Once under way, I’ll focus on apprehending the assassins. For your duties and other details, please consult with your first officer, Mart Narvy. Understood?”

There was overall agreement. I looked for any signs of treachery, but no-one showed themselves.

“Mart Narvy,” I said.

“Yes, Sir!”

“Send out a general message to all passengers that once repairs are complete, we’ll be underway.”

“Yes, Sir!”

I turned to the officers. “Everyone dismissed. Please return to your duties.”

They saluted and left the bridge.

Under an hour later, I got a call on my communicator.

“Captain, the engineer has installed the manifold. He says it passed diagnostics and we’re good to go,” said Cathy.

“Excellent! Stand by to depart.”

I closed the call and called Jem at once.

“Brian?”

“The hyper-drive is ready to test out,” I said.

“Understood. Ship says he has remote control, and can pilot both vessels.”

“Fantastic! Please proceed.”

I watched the tactical display from the bridge. Ship moved alongside, and then both vessels accelerated together. Soon, we jumped to hyperspace.

“Wow!” said Mart Narvy.

“We’re on our way,” I said.

“Thank you so much! I thought we’d die back there.”

“Well, now the assassins are in trouble. I suspect they planned to meet another vessel. But now they get a ride to Ori Major with us.”

“Unless your Commander Saria finds them first,” he said.

“Exactly! I don’t know which outcome is worse for the assassins.”

A few minutes later, I got a call from Saria.

“Captain, with the engine working, I request permission to resume the hunt for the killers.”

“I’ve already changed access to the engineering section. Could you assign someone to guard the entrance?”

“I’ll assign the security detail to do that. What about Cathy?”

“Keep Cathy with you, Commander. She’s safer with one of us around,” I said.

“Understood, Captain.”

I turned to Mart Narvy.

“Were there any witnesses to the killings?” I asked.

“For the Captain, no. The VIP had a guest, a singer. I can take you to meet her,” he said.

“Please do.”

We left the bridge and travelled to another area of the vessel. He pressed a door chime on a cabin door. Soon the door opened to reveal a beautiful Ori female. It disturbed me for a moment, as she reminded me of Koluna.

“Hello?” she said. Even her voice sounded like hers.

“My name is Brian. I’m investigating the murder of a passenger, and I understand you witnessed the murder?” I didn’t mention the death of the captain since I didn’t want the passengers alarmed.

“It happened so fast, I didn’t see them. The door chimed, and he went to answer it. The next moment he was dead,” she said, staring at me. Her eyes seemed so familiar, so beautiful. It was disturbing.

“And you didn’t see who killed him?”

“No. I heard a noise, then found him dead at the entrance.”

I sighed. She wouldn’t be much help.

“Well, don’t open your cabin door unless you recognize their voice. The killers might want to eliminate loose ends,” I said.

“Understood. I’ll stay inside until we reach Ori Major.”

“And if anyone you don’t know calls, don’t open your door. Call security instead.”

Mart Narvy and I stepped out into the corridor and she closed her door behind us. I shook my head, and we continued our search.

In deep space, at the precise location where the passenger transport Flbumtom was previously drifting, another vessel exited hyper-space and came to a stop. It scanned the area, and found no vessel waiting for them, which was unexpected.

The vessel spent a short time searching before it turned around and returned to hyper-space.

A while later, I received a call on my communicator, interrupting my investigation.

“Captain, how goes your hut for the killers?” asked Jem.

“Nothing to report so far, Commodore. Perhaps Saria will have more.”

“Ship studied all the logs and videos from the Flbumtom, the ones that weren’t erased. We can help you narrow down your search.”

This sounded good.

“How narrow is the list?”

“Sending the data to your communicator now. About eight beings, and two of them are crew.”

“Well, can you ask Ship to lock them in their cabins for the rest of the journey? We don’t need to determine guilt or innocence. We just need to prevent more trouble.”

“Confirmed,” replied Ship. “Six are now locked in their cabins. Two suspects remain at large.”

“Ship, send the details of both remaining at large to me and Saria.”

“Confirmed.”

I closed the call and turned to Mart Narvy.

“The good news is that you’re not on my list,” I said.

“And the bad news?” he asked.

“We’ve two suspects at large that we need to apprehend.”

“Ah.”

Cathy and Saria were walking along a corridor when Saria received a message on her communicator.

Saria smiled after reading the message.