Space Murder

by N L Haverstock

  “Were they the type to do that?”

  “I don’t know much about them. Cleaning crew jobs are not well-paid positions, and they tend to cycle in and out. But an even bigger indicator of their guilt is the fact that they were found dead shortly after the fire. The killer must have paid them to disable the ship right next to Cerulea, but the killer didn’t want witnesses left behind. Someone mentioned that the cleaning crew had been given tea. I was also offered tea, but I dumped mine into a plant. When I was abducted, I may not have seen the person, but I did see that the plant was dead from the poison in the tea. I’m guessing the poison was also meant for me.”

  He nodded and spun his hand in a “go on” gesture.

  I tried to speak faster, fearing that I was losing his attention. “Then came the abduction. Officer Heather Halston told me that she had been instructed to get rid of me. When the Cerulean vessel docked, she must have helped them to do it in exchange for taking me and disposing of me.”

  “I was told that you must have stowed away. When they saw you running, Ambassador said that you were a criminal, and my officers went to capture you.” He said it without inflection. Though I hoped that on the inside, he was reevaluating the information he had been given.

  “I was knocked out and woke up locked up in a bathroom where the interior handle was removed. Did you send the shuttle?”

  “My fiancée said that she was scared and didn’t trust the fleet.”

  “Did you instruct the officers to chase us toward the ocean?”

  “No. Hold on.” He gestured for the assistant to bring back the tablet then spent the next few minutes reviewing information before passing it back. “The chase protocol did not follow the rules, but I do not know the reason for that. Go on.”

  “When I was trapped in the ship, I overheard a conversation between Vanessa and her sister. Vanessa said, “It will be like Jonah.” I opened the Bible. “That was a reference to the Old Testament story of Jonah, who was swallowed by a whale. She knew what was going to happen. My guess is that they left me on the ship alone, hoping that I would steal it. But when I left on another shuttle, they shifted gears.”

  I moved on, wanting to stick to the important details. “The gulper tooth also gave me the idea for the weapon that was used for the murder on the ship. Our security scan can miss organic materials, such as bone or wood. A gulper tooth would have been missed by our ship’s weapon scan and could have easily been used to murder the victim. But since all gulper bone is processed on Cerulea, the only way that a weapon from that material could have been on our ship is if one or more of the passengers were smuggling it.”

  The crowd’s response buoyed me. They seemed to be connecting the dots I was laying out and finding the story interesting.

  I pushed on. “On Earth, there was at one point a similar system in which a majority of the world’s diamonds were controlled by one company. It kept profits up through the monopoly, but people went to terrible lengths to get their own supply because the price was so high. An ambassador who travels frequently would be an ideal candidate, and a future princess would be the perfect partner. A small amount of power is dangerous in those that are corrupt.”

  The king seemed to struggle with his emotions, and I gave him a moment to let the facts sink in. These were Ceruleans that he had trusted. Many people would fight back, unwilling to admit their assessment was incorrect even in light of facts. My hope was that he had already seen enough.

  When he seemed ready, I continued. “She tried to poison people before, which brings me to her title of Bearer of the Venom. She had passed me tea that was brown while she drank pink tea, the result of a reaction between citric acid and the tea, which also neutralizes the venom from the spider. And I know one more thing. She doesn’t love you because she spoke badly of your… pools.”

  A gasp went around the room, and I swallowed hard. That last bit was potentially my downfall. He was a proud man, and saying his fiancée didn’t love him could mean my demise, but if he already had his doubts, it might be the cincher.

  He couldn’t contain the anger in his eyes. “Do you have anything else to add?”

  I shook my head.

  The king didn’t respond other than to gesture to a guard by the door. “Her testimony is done. Is anyone here witness to these events and willing to speak on her behalf?”

  The crowd turned to look in every direction. Chloe, Raph, Horton, and Jones stepped forward. They were willing to collaborate my testimony as much as they could. Then I noticed another person was stepping forward.

  James pushed to the front of the room. “I am Officer James, investigative lead, and I have a lot to say about Captain Elizabeth Laika.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  I was held in a back room for hours. I didn’t even have Pox for company because they wanted to examine his healing skin as evidence to see if what I had told was the truth. I was brought a tray of food, which I didn’t refuse, though I did skip drinking the tea.

  All I had was my wet little Bible. I decided that instead of worrying, I would read. I delved into it just as I had the previous time I sat anxiously awaiting the outcome of a trial. It wasn’t an experience I had ever planned to repeat, yet fate had different plans.

  I eventually decided to finish the verses in Ecclesiastes that I had started days earlier. As I paced the room for the millionth time, I read out loud, the easy rhythm sinking in and giving me peace.

  “A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”

  The door creaked open, and the guard from earlier stepped in. “It’s time, if you’re ready.”

  I nodded and felt exactly that, ready. Ready for my time of peace, time to love, a time to keep, a time to speak. I was ready to face my fate, whatever it was. I was scared, but each foot moved smoothly as I followed the guard back so I could stand in front of the king again. Those who had stood witness for me were sitting in the front row, even Pox, who was curled up on Chloe’s lap.

  “Captain Laika,” the king said then waited for me to turn to him. “Your witnesses spoke well for you, but there is still a shocking lack of proof of your accusations. While the story knits together well and is quite believable, it all hinges on one fact, that you didn’t kill the victim yourself. If I am to believe your story, then two Ceruleans would be guilty.”

  I sneaked a quick look at James, wondering what he had said, but that thought was pushed away as it sank in that no one had said enough to convince the king of my innocence. I could feel that the ruler was torn. Heavy was the head that wore the crown, and the situation had been forced on him. I wished there was something more I could say.

  He sighed. “You will be given a chance to plead your case one last time, then I will need to give a verdict on the proof I have. But if anyone has any information that they would like to share, this is your last chance.” He seemed almost hopeful as he looked around.

  “Wait!” a thin mechanical voice rang out.

  I turned to Eugene, who was sitting on Horton’s lap. His red light flashed.

  The king gestured at Horton. “Do you have more to add to your testimony?”

  Horton stood and approached a table beside the podium. He put Eugene on top of it then turned him so the light faced the king. “Not me. Eugene does.”

  “Eugene is a…?”

  The entire crowd leaned forward in their seats.

  The little red light flashed, illuminating most of the table. “I’m an artificial intelligence program. I have been gathering data since I left the ship. I have information related to the case.”

  “I’m sorry, but computer programs cannot testify. I can’t take the informa
tion into account.”

  “Actually, King, anyone can testify in your court as long as they are recognized as a registered sentient being by any established government in any universe. And you, as king of Cerulea, have the right to bestow citizenship, which I humbly ask you grant me. I have information that will help you, and I wish to serve.” If Eugene could have bowed, he probably would have. He didn’t have any such information when we had last spoke, as far as I knew, and I had my suspicions that he didn’t gather anything new using the most legal of methods. But I certainly wasn’t going to protest. His existence was in jeopardy as much as mine.

  The king tipped his head back and studied the little wooden box. When he spoke, his words were deliberate. “The fleet has determined that AI programs should be destroyed when discovered. Too dangerous.”

  Heads in the audience swung around to Eugene, waiting for his reply. Horton was wringing his hands. His eyes glistened with unshed tears.

  Eugene’s reply was also slow in coming, but when it did, I could hear the weight of things left unsaid, the tone of knowledge only he and the king understood. “The fleet often oversteps their authority and fears what they cannot control. You are the sovereign leader here and know what is best for those who depend on you.”

  Everyone, myself included, watched the king for his reply. After what felt like an eternity, he said, “And what can you offer in service to my kingdom?”

  “I have proof of an ongoing conspiracy against you involving Vanessa and Rick and the smuggling of gulper bones. Additionally, there is evidence—”

  “And how would you have such information when even my best—when no one else has found such evidence?”

  “Captain Laika became suspicious when our ship was disabled and asked a crew member to reach out to his contacts at our destination. It appears that they had created some enemies with their dealings, and their partners were waiting for them at the destination. It seems that someone tipped off the authorities. Right now, it is all very confidential, but since it affects Cerulea, I have obtained all the relevant material for you to review.”

  The king stood up and gestured to a guard. “Bring the box to my office. We need a conference immediately.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  Raph, Horton, Chloe, Pox, and I huddled in a small room. Whatever information Eugene had given the king in their private meeting meant that I was no longer locked up alone, but the company only slightly lessened my anxiety. I was optimistic yet scared to get my hopes up.

  Persephone had left with Jones to rest after her “eventful morning,” while James had disappeared. I imagined he had a lot to report in addition to handling the death of Officer Heather Halston.

  A shiver went down my back. I hadn’t really had time to process her accident. She’d carried her secrets to her death. Someone in the fleet was still determined to kill me, and though I had a good guess at who it might be, I still didn’t understand why. I wasn’t a danger to anyone, and I hadn’t stirred up any trouble beyond accidentally being accused of murder.

  In fact, Cerulea might do the dirty work for them, though my fear was receding. I believed in my crew, Eugene included. Whatever he had been able to dig up could be all we needed. I was quite sure that the “how” behind how he got his information involved breaking several security features and laws. But he had risked his own existence, and the fact that he might be saved through citizenship didn’t negate the risk he was taking for me.

  The door creaked open, and the guard gestured for us to follow him. I grabbed one more of the chocolate caramel treats and stuffed it in my mouth as I walked out behind the others. If I was about to die, I wouldn’t need to worry about working off the weight. Small bonus.

  When I returned to the court, there were a lot of surprises. James came to stand next to me. He gave me a tight smile. The crowd burst into cheers. But the biggest surprise was a six-foot screen that showed the fleet leadership council watching us.

  The king stood to address the entire room. “After speaking to Cerulean citizen Eugene Basaltic, I am ready to give my verdict.”

  Horton gasped. “Eugene took my name!”

  I shushed him and waited to hear my fate. The king was a true showman, dragging out the moment until I was leaning so far forward that I risked tipping over.

  “I have found that Captain Elizabeth Laika is… innocent of all charges. Further investigation will be conducted until we have rooted out all those that are guilty.” He turned to the screen. “I assume the fleet will agree that this is the final ruling on the matter.”

  I could see the muscles in the fleet president’s jaw flexing and the slight narrowing of his eyes, but when he eventually spoke, it was with the same restraint and monotone he always used at official events. “Of course. And we will also search for how Officer Heather Halston was able to avoid psychological evaluations and pull off such a plan all on her own.”

  Always the politician, he had deftly divorced the fleet from Heather’s actions, but there was no one to prove otherwise. Except…

  I turned to look at James. Though unsure of what I expected, I was surprised to see the anger etched into his eyes. He had heard her confession and knew that the fleet would not be investigating. It was the reality of the situation, though I found it unsettling that he was upset by the fact while I had so readily accepted the reality of it.

  Perhaps James still held his noble belief that truth would win out, while I had been discovering that life wasn’t fair. But life did reward those who fought, and I was a fighter. Maybe there was still hope for the future I had once believed was mine.

  I took a look around at my loyal crew and knew that what I had was better than what I had lost.

  The king addressed the fleet members on the screen. “I know you have more to say to the captain, but I must finish my presentation.” He turned back to me. “Captain, your work on behalf of the kingdom will be rewarded. Your entire crew will receive monetary gifts, but you will receive the greatest gift. You will be my bride.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  My heart leaped into my throat, and my legs almost gave out beneath me. James managed to grab my elbow before I face-planted.

  There was a low buzz of interest from the court attendees. Turning down a suitor of his power in front of such an audience could be just as dangerous a situation as trying to beat a murder charge.

  I stepped forward and did my best impersonation of a ladylike curtsy. I scrambled for what to say that would address the situation adequately. “I am honored beyond words.”

  “It is our custom that you take the place of the fiancée you removed… unless you have reason to believe that you are unworthy, then you can recommend another.” He walked toward me.

  Up close, I could read his face better. Even the highest station was held to the rules and traditions of their role. I believed that was the case in the current situation because his eyes seemed to beg me to take the out he was offering. I gave him a slight nod that only he would notice, and his face relaxed.

  I turned to the audience. “I would be honored to be your wife, but I fear that I am inferior to the task. My heart belongs to the stars, to space. I would be unworthy and incapable of serving Cerulea in the way the station requires. But I do know someone who loves not only Cerulea but adores you in the way required. Wylene, Vanessa’s younger sister, spoke of her great admiration of the king and his—” I swallowed hard before I basically fawned about his appearance and manliness. “His large palace and pools. I do not believe that she had any part in the deception that took place, though your investigation will better answer that question.”

  The crowd oohed at the news.

  The king raised his eyebrows in appreciation. “I do believe that would be acceptable.” He started to turn away to walk back to his throne.

  “But I would ask that I could take my caline, Pox, with me when I leave. He will be a beautiful reminder of the planet that has stolen my heart and saved my life.” I lowered my head in
a sign of submission.

  “Of course.” He gave a little chuckle. “There is little I could do anyway, as a caline bonds for life. Take him with you. You are all dismissed as I have many other cases to attend to as well as speaking with my future bride.”

  We were led from the room and into a back hallway. We whooped and cheered as I exchanged hugs with everyone. Then I encountered James.

  Everyone else excitedly talked as I stole a few moments of privacy with James off to the side. “Thank you for speaking for me.”

  “I had to tell the truth.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Just accept the darn compliment. I swear.”

  He ground his teeth. “I thought something was off when you referred to Heather as my girlfriend. It wasn’t in character for you, and I almost asked why you did that, but I assumed you were just being jealous.”

  “Jealous? No, she had said she was your girlfriend. And she looked just like I did when we dated.”

  He frowned. “She did?”

  “How did you not notice? Purple hair is not that common.”

  “It is in the fleet. Have you not noticed?”

  “I don’t get out much.” I turned to leave. I needed to focus. For the moment, my life was safe, but my career was still up in the air. I should be okay, but I wouldn’t put it past the fleet to try something underhanded.

  “Wait. I need to apologize.”

  I turned back around to face him.

  “I said you hadn’t changed, and I was right—”

  “I thought you were going to apologize.”