by JN Chaney
When Adam brought them all together on the Eden, it was like a second chance to reconnect. An opportunity to get to know each other.
Seth wished now that he’d taken it.
“Sir?” asked Ridwan, startling him.
Seth pushed himself off the wall and faced the chief. “Something wrong?”
“You left without saying anything. I thought I should check on you.”
“Sorry, I wasn’t thinking.”
“It’s okay,” assured Ridwan. “Really.”
Seth had to get ahold of himself. He was still the head of Security. He needed to act like it. “Chief, do you mind if I ask you some questions before I go?”
“Of course,” he said.
“Was there anything going on in this bay before the accident?” asked Seth.
“What do you mean?” asked Ridwan.
“I don’t know. A reason for Abel to be here. Maybe a joint assignment between Engineering and the bridge.”
“Not that I’m aware of,” said Ridwan.
“So there’s nothing scheduled? No special event?”
“I can check, but I don’t think so. Do you think that’s why your brother was here?”
“I don’t know,” said Seth. “Maybe.”
“Well, as far as I know, he was here alone. No one saw it happen, and none of my people were in the area before the incident.”
“Alright. Thanks, Chief,” said Seth. “That’s all I have.”
“Okay, but if you think of anything else, come get me,” said Ridwan.
“Will do,” said Seth.
So strange, he thought. It wasn’t like his brother to randomly wander the ship. What was Abel doing here all by himself? Why did he come to a population bay on the other side of the ship? Maybe he came here to vent some anger last night, thought Seth. If only I’d sent him home, none of this would’ve happened.
It’s all my fault.
Seth arrived at Adam’s office and found the old man standing near the back of the room, staring out the window. He didn’t seem to notice him. “Sir?” asked Seth, after a moment.
Adam flinched, clearly startled. He must have been lost in thought. “Oh, Seth. Sorry, I didn’t hear you come in.”
“No problem.”
“Please, uh…” Adam paused, looking at the desk and chairs, his mouth ajar, as though the words had suddenly left him.
Seth took the meaning and had a seat. Adam did the same. Neither said a word at first, as though the truth of today stood between them, choking the air from the room. “I examined the scene about an hour ago.”
Adam blinked, his eyes on the desk, as though he’d been daydreaming. “Sorry, what?”
“Population bay six. I can run you through the whole—”
“God, Seth,” said Adam, suddenly. “I didn’t call you in here to give me a report.”
Seth paused.
“Your brother, he’s…” Adam’s voice trailed off, along with his eyes. His mind seemed to be in two places at once. Here and somewhere else. “Dead.”
“I know. I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s alright,” said Adam. “You’re doing your duty. You’re a fine officer, Seth.”
“Thanks.”
Nearly a minute passed before either spoke again. Seth had never seen his father so distraught before…even after the destruction of Fiore. Despite witnessing the deaths of billions, Adam never lost his composure. Never let his grief show. He was the man who always moved forward, and yet today he was different. Today he’d lost a son.
Adam coughed. “You know, when Abel got commissioned and graduated the academy, I told myself to be ready. I’ve been in wars. I know the survival rate. The probability of death. I accepted it.” He thumbed the edge of his desk, scratching the wood with his nail, digging into it.
Seth didn’t know what to say. His father never talked like this. Not to him or anyone else.
Adam took a long and heavy breath. “You should go and see your mother soon.”
“Okay,” said Seth.
“I’ll be along shortly,” said Adam, getting to his feet. He walked around to the other side of the desk. “I have some work to do first. The mission, you know.”
“Right,” said Seth, standing.
Adam nodded, then embraced him, clutching his son in his arms and squeezing tightly. He didn’t let go for a long time.
Seth went to see his mother as soon as possible. As expected, she was devastated—a swollen red face full of tears and confusion. Uriel and Azura were there, too, trying to calm her down. From what he could tell, Azura seemed to be taking care of the other two. If she was grieving, herself, she didn’t show it. Maybe she simply didn’t have the time.
Seth didn’t stay long. “I have some work to do, but I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he told his mother.
“Can’t someone else do it?” she asked with bloodshot eyes and puffy cheeks.
“There are only two security officers on the ship, and one of them is Uriel,” he explained.
His mother paused, then nodded.
“If you need anything, you can call me. I’ll come running as fast as I can. Do you understand? Anything at all,” said Seth.
She hugged him again before letting him go. “If you see Cain, tell him I want to come by, won’t you?”
“Of course,” he said, and left quickly. He could barely stand to be there with so much pain in the room. The heaviness of grief, choking them all. If he didn’t get out of there, he might break.
But he’d told the truth. He really did have work to do. His investigation into the power outages was still ongoing. Somehow, they were all connected, he knew, and it was vital he discover how.
Now more than ever.
Eleven
Seth awoke in his office, lying on the couch in the back corner. He had no memory of falling asleep, but no matter.
He sat up and cracked his neck, yawning. Glancing at his wrist-com, he saw an alert—a missed call from Azura. She’d left him a message.
He touched the pad and played it. “Seth, I wanted to check in and see how you were. Call me back when you can.”
He glanced at the timestamp. That was six hours ago, he thought, getting to his feet. His back ached from the lumps in the couch. He sat behind his desk and touched his communicator again, but right as he was about to place the call, another alert came in.
He answered immediately. Dr. Asari appeared on the screen, standing in the medical bay. “Hello?” she said, tilting her head. “Is this thing on?”
“I hear you,” said Seth.
“Oh, good. Lieutenant Kadmon, you asked to let you know when I received the autopsy results.”
Oh, right, thought Seth. “Do you have them?”
“I do. Would you like to come to Medical or do you want me to tell you over the com?”
“Now is fine,” he said, still groggy.
“Alright,” she said, glancing below the camera. “As expected, there were dozens of bone fractures all over the body. The impact of the crash was somewhat devastating. However, this was not the cause of death.”
“What do you mean?” asked Seth. “Are you saying he died from something besides the crate?”
“It certainly looks that way,” she admitted. “He was facing the floor when they found him, crushed beneath the object, yes?”
Seth nodded. “That’s how it looked when I arrived.”
“Right, well,” she paused. “We examined the body and found livor mortis on the subject’s lower back, despite the body’s position.”
“Livor—what?” asked Seth.
“Livor mortis, otherwise known as hypostasis. When a person dies, blood settles to the lower portion of the body, causing a dark coloring of the skin. This is usually purple and red.”
“What’s that got to do with what happened?” asked Seth.
“Let me put it this way: if you die with your face on the floor, your c
hest fills with blood and your skin darkens. If you die on your backside, the opposite occurs. The blood will settle beneath you, and your back gets discolored. Our victim was found on his chest, according to the reports, and yet the livor mortis appears to be on wrong side. Do you understand?”
“I believe so,” answered Seth.
“Good, because it indicates to me the victim was flipped, possibly even moved. He wasn’t killed the way we found him.”
Seth paused, taking in the information. Did Abel died before the crate crushed him? Had he been murdered? “Doctor,” he began, slowly. “Do you know what you’re saying?”
“I do, Lieutenant,” she said, “and I’m not done yet, I’m afraid. We found two wounds which don’t match any the others. One was in the arm, and the other in the neck. I believe this to be the true cause of death.”
Seth stared at the woman on the screen. “What made these wounds?”
“We don’t know,” Dr. Asari admitted. “Some kind of object. The neck wound was thin and precise. Perhaps a weapon.”
“You mean he was stabbed?”
Asari nodded. “Based on the angle of the wound, I’m inclined to think so. The real question was whether it was self-inflicted, accidental, or—”
“By someone else,” muttered Seth.
“Given the way the body was found, it certainly seems likely,” said the doctor.
Seth bit the inside of his lip. If Asari was right, the implications were staggering, especially because—
Dammit, thought Seth. If Abel actually followed through with his plan last night, then no doubt he spoke with Cain. If so, Cain might have been the last person to see him alive.
A chill ran down Seth’s neck, and he twitched. It couldn’t be true. Not a chance. Not Cain. He couldn’t be responsible for—
“That’s all the information we have,” said Asari.
Seth blinked, a little dazed. “Oh, well, thanks for looking into it,” he managed to say. “Please keep me informed if you find anything else.”
She nodded. “Of course.”
The com turned off and Seth sat in silence, staring at the surface of his desk. He had to go talk to his brother. He might have answers to share. I need the details of that night. I need the truth.
If Cain had talked to Abel right before his death, Seth would have to take him in. Even with Lilith as an alibi, the evidence would be too much. It might be circumstantial, but the rest of the crew might not see it that way. He’d have to secure Cain while he kept investigating, if only to keep him safe. Seth had to move fast…before things got out of hand.
But not alone. he loved his brother, but he didn’t know if he could trust him. This time, much as it pained him to do it, he’d bring along some backup.
Protocol required every member of the crew to train in at least one other secondary occupation, aside from their primary job. Seth, in addition to security, happened to be a pilot.
Not that he enjoyed it. He only chose it to appease his father, who spent eighteen years piloting ships before receiving his first command.
Seth preferred security, of course, but if there was ever a piloting emergency, he could probably handle it.
As for Security, several crewmates had taken the necessary training and passed. This meant they knew how to handle a weapon, use self-defense, and had a decent grasp on basic detainment procedures. After talking briefly with Ariel in Engineering, Seth managed to get the names of three would-be security officers.
First, there was Michael, an engineer Seth had known for several years. Michael passed the qualifying test only a few days ago, so he wouldn’t have the best experience, but having someone familiar around might come in handy. He’d follow whatever orders Seth gave him, which made him valuable.
Up next was Paul Wisk, a rather large man who worked on Ariel’s team and came highly recommended. Seth didn’t know much about the man, but he could use the extra muscle, should anything happen.
Then came Steven—smaller than the others, but one of the better hand-to-hand combatants on the ship. He could pin a man twice his own size on the floor in under two minutes. Steven also taught a self-defense class, which Seth had always meant to attend but never got around to visiting.
In any case, each of the candidates was eager to join the team, especially once Seth explained the importance of his investigation. All three men expressed a desire to protect the crew. Given their choice to join Security, it was hardly surprising. No doubt, they’d been waiting around for a scenario very much like this one to come along. Add a little excitement to their lives. A bit of danger.
Hopefully, they’re disappointed.
Once he had them all in Security, Seth outfitted the men with proper equipment and proceeded to brief them. The purpose here was to question, not detain, but precautions had to be taken. If he opted to take the suspect into custody, the part-time officers would step in and assist. He couldn’t risk them spooking Cain, so they’d stay out of sight while Seth did all the talking. No need to cause unnecessary problems.
“Sir, are we really arresting your brother?” asked Michael.
“I don’t know, but that’s why I’m bringing you along. If there’s a problem, I’ll need you with me.”
Michael nodded, fully committed. This would be his first assignment as a security augmentee, and he clearly took it seriously. Good, thought Seth, looking him over. Better he keeps his guard up. Safer that way.
No doubt, each of the men were nervous, but so was Seth. In all his time aboard the ship, he’d only ever arrested crewmates for minor infractions. Never for suspicion of murder. Never for sabotage.
Seth checked the com tracker at his terminal, verifying Cain’s location. “Unless there’s a real sign of danger, stay behind me and only act when I give the order. Understand?”
“Yes, sir,” they said together.
“Follow me,” said Seth. “Our mission starts now. Consider this your induction.”
Less than twenty minutes later, Seth and his team made their way to Cain’s door. After a quick glance at Michael, who responded with a nod, Seth knocked three times, and waited.
A few seconds passed without an answer. Seth fidgeted, flicking his thumb as he stood there.
He knocked again.
Still nothing.
He checked his communicator to verify Cain’s location, but when the results showed up, he didn’t know what to make of them.
“What is it, sir?” asked Michael.
“I don’t get it,” said Seth. “The com says he’s not here.”
“Where, then?” asked Paul.
“I don’t know. It isn’t showing anything. It’s like he’s vanished.”
Michael glanced at the communicator. “There’s a chance he disabled his device.”
“You can do that?” asked Seth.
“We do it all the time in Engineering, like when we’re making repairs on them. These things have to be taken apart piece-by-piece, which severs the signal.”
“You think he took he did the same?”
“Given Cain’s experience with electronics and his time in Engineering, he must know a thing or two about the communicators.”
“Dammit,” said Seth. “If he’s disabling his com…”
“Doesn’t make him look very innocent,” said Steven.
No, it doesn’t, thought Seth. “Alright, we’re going in. He reached for his access card. “Ready?”
He removed the override hatch, waiting for the green light. Gripping the handle, he cranked the door open, slowly, until he had it wide enough for his team to get through. With their weapons ready, they rushed inside.
The room was dark, with no sign of Cain. Seth flipped the switch to bring the lights on, revealing a messy floor filled with clothes and tools. The sheets hanged off the bed, revealing the bulk of the mattress, and day-old food littered the nearby desk—a half finished meal of synthetic meat and vegetable chips. Disgusting.
“Look for anything out of place,” said Seth.
This wasn’t good. Cain could be anywhere on the ship. Without a communicator to track his movements, finding him could take days.
There was only one option now.
While his team searched, Seth stepped into the hall. Using his com, he placed a call to Lilith—something he hoped to avoid, given their relationship.
A moment later, she answered. “Hey, Seth. How can I help you?”
“Where is he, Lilith?” asked Seth.
“Who?”
“Cain,” he answered. “Where’s he gone?”
“Checking the com systems now. One mom—”
“I’ve already done that,” interrupted Seth. “Tell me where he is.”
“I apologize, Lieutenant, but I honestly have no idea. I haven’t spoken to him since yesterday, right before Abel went to see him.”
“So you’re aware of their meeting,” said Seth.
“Only that it happened. I’m afraid I have no idea what they discussed. After the accident this morning, I tried to call him to see how he was handling the news, but he didn’t answer.”
“Why didn’t you report this?”
“People deal with grief in their own way,” she said. “Cain prefers his solitude. He doesn’t like sharing his feelings.”
“I need to find him now, Lilith.”
“Is something wrong? Why are you looking for him?”
“I have to question him about last night. He was the last person to see Abel alive.”
Lilith frowned. “But Abel died in an accident, didn’t he?”
“Sure, probably,” said Seth. There was no need to go into detail. The less she knew, the better. “I just have to ask him some simple questions so we can put this incident behind us. It’s the only way to move forward.”
“I see. So, it’s protocol,” she said.
“Exactly.”
“Alright. I understand. What can I do?”
“Feed the surveillance footage from this hallway into my communicator. Start a few seconds before he disabled his com. He was inside his quarters, so let’s see when he left and where he headed.”
