Finally, I rub my eyes and glance back towards the outer office. Zann is sitting cross-legged in my doorway staring at me. “You are ready for my statement now?”
I nod. He stands, and I am reminded that he and his companions are still wandering around the base naked. Not that he has any dangerously vulnerable exposed genitalia, I think with a small snicker, but there are general rules on the station about wearing at least some amount of clothing. It might be a holdover from the historically human presence here, but being completely naked isgoing to make Zann, Krish, and Davix stand out even more than they already do.
“Liu,” I call as I stand up and make my way towards the door. Zann unfolds himself gracefully and steps aside. “Reach out to procurement and see if we can get some clothes for our guests.”
“On it, Commander,” Liu responds.
“Am I a guest who needs clothes?” Zann asks as he follows me to an interview room.
“It is customary for individuals on the station to wear clothing,” I say. I gesture to a chair that is almost comically small for him and Zann sits warily. I take a seat across the table from him. “In a moment, I am going to start the video and voice recording. I may ask you some questions to clarify things, but mostly it will be best if you just tell me what happened on that ship in your own words when I ask you. Do you understand?”
Zann’s forehead crinkles, but he nods.
“Okay, here goes.” I initialize the recording and begin the introduction. “This is Commander Corrina Hammish-Sun, Kapoor Base, Azuris Station. I am here with Zann, a haleen from the previously uncontacted planet Gyria. Zann, please tell me how you came to be on board the ship of Captain Lianov and what happened there.”
“I am Zann of the Broken Tooth Clan. I was hunting serrex with my brood brothers, when I heard Krish scream.” I listen as impassively as I can as Zann describes his capture, abuse, and torture. It is somewhat gratifying to hear that his accountmirrors Alek’s. Alek had insisted that he was trapped in an impossible situation and trying to do his best. While I have my own opinions about what Alek could have done differently, at least he made some effort on behalf of Lianov’s captives. I try to maintain a neutral expression as Zann describes the quick and brutal death visited upon Lianov. While I would never officially condone murder, listening to a firsthand account of Lianov’s actions makes me feel like he got off easy with a quick death.
When Zann stops talking, I end the recording. “Corrina,” he says quietly. “I did not want this to be recorded for others to see and hear. But I feel this is my fault – that I should have somehow prevented what happened to my brood brothers.”
“No,” I say immediately and emphatically, grabbing one of Zann’s large hands without even thinking about it. “No. You are not responsible for any of this. Not at all.”
“If I had reached Krish sooner,” Zann begins.
“Then the outcome would almost certainly have been the same. And if you hadn’t gotten to Krish when you did, he might have been taken alone and that would have been much worse. You are not responsible for any of this,” I repeat. “This is Lianov’s doing. And if I can, I am going to make sure that anyone who ever helped him pays for this and every other horrible thing he has ever done.” Zann glances down to where my hand is clutched around his and I release him self-consciously. “I think I can understand how you are feeling,” I continue in a calmer voice, “When others look to you for leadership, it can be a heavyburden. And it can be hard not to blame yourself when things go wrong.”
I let out a heavy sigh as I think about my decision to hold off on taking Lianov’s ship until he was isolated. It is hard not to think about the fact that I could have ended their suffering sooner, if I had only known. Maybe that’s part of the reason I feel personally responsible for our haleen visitors. But I made the best decision I could based on the information I had at the time, and now I have to live with that.
“But what happened to you?” I continue. “Only Lianov and his associates are to blame for that.” Zann nods solemnly. “I know I don’t know you well, but it’s clear that Krish and Davix respect you. And for what it’s worth, so do I.” Zann tilts his head to the side and looks at me curiously.
“Thank you,” he says finally. We sit in silence for a few more minutes before he speaks up again. “The recording is done? Krish and Davix will do the same thing tomorrow?”
“Yes, if they agree to it.”
“They will agree.” We both stand, and I move to open the interview room door. “Corrina,” Zann says. “I, we, are grateful that you and your people arrived. And that you did not attack us even after we killed the Lianov creature.”
“Me too,” I reply. “Even if it’s turning out to be a giant pain in my ass.”
“You are in pain?” Zann asks, leaning around me to stare pointedly at my backside.
“It’s just another figure of speech. An expression,” I assure him with an embarrassed laugh. He follows me back out to my office where I notice a rectangular, yellow box on the corner. I recognize the packaging as being from one of my favorite bakeries. “Hey Liu, did you get me this?” I ask, holding up the box.
“Get you what?” he asks, glancing up from his desk. His face falls slightly. “You went to Delilah’s without me?” he asks.
I chuckle. “I didn’t go. This was just on my desk. I thought you went.”
Liu shakes his head. “You must have a secret admirer who dropped it off when I was in the head. I’m jealous.”
“Of the admirer or the cupcakes?” I ask, opening the box to see a collection of small frosted, sugary masterpieces.
“The cupcakes, obviously,” Liu responds.
“I’ll share with you,” I say, reaching into the box. I pick up a cupcake and bring it towards my mouth just as a large, green hand closes around my wrist firmly.
Zann leans forward and sniffs at the baked good and then wrinkles his nose. “You should not eat that,” he says sternly.
“Not a fan of sweets?” I ask.
“I enjoy sweet things. But that smells…wrong,” he replies. I stare at the cupcake in my hand and then glance towards Liu whose expression has turned grave.
