The guard hands my bag over to one of the other security personnel, who begins to search it. I know my person was likely scanned as I walked through the entry airlock.
When the lab door opens, two Guyardiens lead the way, two more following, and the last remaining outside in the corridor with my bag.
Dr. H’looder soon emerges from his private office while pulling a thermo skin hood over his head. He is wearing a full protective mech suit. “What is this about, Olarte?” he asks, and from his frazzled tone of voice I am guessing he hurried to prepare for my arrival once my presence was announced.
I queue up a blank message on my personal com unit, type out the essence of the issue, and then turn it facedown and hand to one of the guards to pass to H’looder. But the guard does not hand it over right away. He awaits the doctor’s agreement.
Dr. H’looder nods and accepts the com unit. His eyes widen as he reads my note. Then he looks at me. “You have proof?”
“On my com unit. If you swipe out of that message, you will see my e-mail thread from Davies.”
He does. Then, after reading, he focuses on me again. “And what are you asking of me?”
I glance around at my four guards. I do not wish to put Davies or Colarmin in legal jeopardy. “I need that back to tell you.” I point at my com unit in his hand.
He waves one of his four hands, indicating his men. “They are sworn to secrecy,” H’looder says as he returns my com unit. “You may speak freely in front of them. Their primary loyalty is to me, not to Maxim Colonies, the coalition government, or anyone else. They are my personal security force, paid byme.”
So…I do. I detail everything, and H’looder nods as I speak. When I finish, he turns to a control panel and orders the bridge to prepare their ship, as well as their two accompanying ether-jump frigates, for immediate departure as soon as he gives the word. Then he orders a shuttle to head to the surface to pick up Colarmin and pheir team. Lastly, he waves the guards out and orders them to bring me my belongings.
Once we are alone, he slowly shakes his head. “This is a very grave issue, Olarte. No telling how many creatures they have already smuggled, or where they have ended up. We do not yet know what pathogens might pass from Pfahrn fauna to other fauna. We are still researching it. We do not even allow uncooked meat to transfer between the space station and the planet without making sure it has been thoroughly irradiated for decontamination. There are very few plant species we allow to make the transfer because we have confirmed they are safe. Even then, we have strict decontamination protocols.”
“I understand. IknowDavies is not involved in this. I am certain he is innocent. My main concern is his safety. I love him.”
“We will do everything in our power to keep him safe, I promise you.”
It takes six hours to bring Colarmin and pheir team to H’looder’s ship. Meanwhile, I am shown to a stateroom to await pheir arrival. I wonder if it is the same one Davies occupied when he was here receiving his augmentations, and that fills me with both anxious and melancholy thoughts.
I love Davies. I want him safely in my arms so we may discuss our future together.
H’looder instructs his security forces to coordinate with Colarmin to come up with a plan regarding how to handle dealing with the ship, and we then depart from the space station.
We are now on an extremely tight deadline to make it to thePRbefore their “tow” does.
Once we are under way, H’looder summons me back to his personal office in his lab. Alone together, he still wears his mech suit. But he removes the hood and he sits back with all four of his hands clasped together, his body language now relaxed.
“Thank you for trusting me and bringing this to my attention,” he says. “We are still trying to genetically re-engineer native species from the tragedy on Osarian Six.”
A tone sounds. Dr. H’looder reaches over and presses a button on his desk console.
The office door opens, and it is a Guyardien, escorting—
“Colarmin.” I stand and we embrace. Relief fills me, because while phey are younger than me, phey are quite capable at pheir job. “Thank you for doing this.”
Pheir grave expression matches pheir somber tone. “This is incredibly vital, that we stop them from poaching Pfahrn’s resources. Are youcertainDavies McKellan is not personally involved?”
“He would not have contacted me if he were.”
“You do realize if our investigation shows otherwise, that we will be forced to arrest him, correct?” phey ask. “I know you are fond of the human.”
I am not sure I like pheir tone when phey say that last part. “I am far more worried about someone on that ship discovering he is aware of their scheme and harming him than I am him possibly being involved.”
“Very well.” Phey turn to Dr. H’looder. “Your assistance in this matter is greatly appreciated and will be noted in the official record, Dr. H’looder.”
“I am a scientist. I have seen first-hand the impacts of this kind of crime. They must be stopped before another world can be destroyed. And we must diligently work to uncover anywhere else they might have smuggled animals, and recover them as quickly as possible.”
Colarmin switches into official mode and begins questioning me about what I know of thePalmarian Rubayne’s history. I tell phem what I am able, including referring to my com to check berthing log summaries. I also vow to make available all our detailed berthing records for pheir inspection. Since its first arrival at the space station, thePRhas only ever berthed in my sector because of its size.
While there are two other berthing arms available on the station where a cargo freighter of its size can temporarily link up to transfer passengers, we are one of only four berthing arms available on the station to accommodate a cargo freighter of its size and energy requirements for a full long-term berthing and cargo transfer operation. The other three berthing arms which could handle it are currently leased for exclusive use to three different Pfahrn mining companies for their vessels and can only be used by others in a declared emergency.
