Destiny's Choice (The Wandering Engineer)

by Hechtl, Chris

  “Is that a yes?” April asked amused. He blinked at her, awareness returning to the outside world.

  “Sorry, yes, viable suspects that need investigating Sprite said.”

  “Ah,” she grinned around the fork full of pasta. “Good then, work's over. What's for dessert?” she asked in a husky voice.

  She'd timed it just for when he had the drink to his lips. He sputtered and she laughed at him. He mopped up the mess, shaking his head at her mirth.

  He looked on, casually hiding his indifference to others around him as he examined the evidence. It was thin at best. A minor notation in the accounting codes, and a major financial discrepancy built on supposition. He wasn't comfortable about this.

  “Admiral, I know it's not much to go on but it's all we have. It also fits the pattern.”

  “The virus doesn't. And they are Neo's from a gang. Neo's with a reputation for fighting as a pack yes, but also for direct confrontation, not these strikes...” he puttered off suddenly.

  “Go on, say it. Strikes from the dark. Ambushes. A predator's mentality. Also I would like to point out to you, poison is a favorite assassination tool of women. Third, the virus might have been by someone else. We only have the fact that it was a definite attack to link it to the others.”

  “The airlock...”

  “Was a crime of opportunity. That I'll grant you is a bit much, and I don't have a hard link on the whole pride at the time of the incident. I know at least two of the females were in the galley at the time so it rules them out.”

  “But we don't know if they have the skills to do any of this. I doubt they had access to main engineering!”

  “Correct Admiral, doubt. We don't know.” Sprite pointed out. “We know little about them, their education, mentality, we're drawing inferences from general sources and our own interactions with other Neo's, there is nothing, I mean nothing in the database about them. Well, their leader Asia and her second Hera have a thing for romance novels.”

  “Okay...”

  “And the males like to play virtual blood sport games. Melee combat or first person sword or shooter games. There have been several complaints about broken controllers and shredded furniture in the rec area.”

  “Joy.”

  “I'd like to take this further.”

  “Of course,” he said, nodding. “But we can't do it virtually. You can check their behavior and patterns from surveillance footage, but it will only get you so far, and your record search...”

  “Only gives us a small look at their intelligence based on what they order and how they go about finding it,” Sprite finished. “Which means we need someone to interact with them and draw out the truth.”

  “Oh?” he asked.

  “Someone who can ask the right questions and....”

  “Hold it!” he said getting to his feet. “Not April, no way!” the thought of April in the same room with a Neo-cat wasn't something he wanted to think about. In the same room with a homicidal pack of them??

  “No, in this case it's best to go with the authorities. I've informed Mister Chambers. He said he will look into it directly,” Sprite said.

  “You...” Irons snarled, knuckles going white.

  “Sprite beat me to it by a microsecond Admiral,” Defender informed him. “It is protocol, and we must follow it. The investigating authorities have to be kept up to date.”

  Irons waited a moment, getting his furious thoughts under control. “Did it ever occur to either of you that he may be a suspect? Or unwittingly working with the assassin?” he ground out, patience on thin ice.

  Sprite took a moment to answer. “I... I believe he is not a suspect Admiral. Call it a hunch if you will, but he has been in your presence several times after each incident and I've gotten a good reading from his vital signs. He showed signs of anger, annoyance, and others, but no sign of it being focused on you.”

  “Oh?” he got his head under control.

  “Mister Chambers has exhibited anger at the incident, and frustration over it happening on his watch. He has a clean record and has not shown any signs of working with anyone in this.”

  “Interesting,” Irons said sinking back into his seat slowly. After a moment he sat back. “He's an honorable man?”

  “As far as he thinks. He is a prick however, but he's just doing his job in his opinion.”

  “Where did that last come from?”

  “His online diary. Personal journal. I hacked it.”

  “Sprite...” he sighed.

  “Which is my other reason for knowing it's not him. I built a psychological profile based on that. The journal goes back to the beginning of the voyage, and has entries prior to it that were uploaded and appended. I've checked, they are all legit, time stamp's match and no sign of tampering. He's on the level Admiral.”

  “Okay, but that doesn't rule out a leak.”

  “No but we have to start somewhere.”

  Irons was walking down the corridor a few minutes later when Sprite cleared her virtual throat. “Yes?” he asked, stepping around a pair of talking passengers. He was still getting a handle on his temper. She knew better than to bother him while he was doing it. Obviously this was important enough to risk furthering his ire.

  “Mister Chambers would like to speak with you.”

  “I figured as much,” he sighed, stopping and turning around. He made his way to the chief's office. “Admiral Irons to see Mister Chambers,” he told the shift supervisor. The moderately obese man shifted his weight a little, adjusting his belt and then jerked his meaty hand to the side door. “In there. He's expecting you.”

  Irons nodded politely. From his observation the shift super wasn't big on working out. Or if he was, he stuck to weights and not aerobics. Pity, it would catch up with him soon enough. “Right,” he went in the indicated direction, rapped on the door and then entered.

  “You wanted to see me Mister Chambers?”

  “Chief.”

  “I'd think Chief Bailey would be a bit put out over that. Something about to many chiefs and not enough Indians,” Irons said with a smile. The security chief’s office was spartan and functional. Metal desk, LCD monitor on one corner, a slinky on another, two chairs, a coffee pot tucked into a corner and a food replicator. He turned. Oh and a not quite hidden armory tucked behind what was supposed to look like wooden wall paneling. Interesting.

  Ed rolled his eyes. “For heaven's sake Admiral, knock it off. Sit.” he pointed to the chair across from his desk. “Coffee?” he asked, holding up a pot.

  Irons raised an eyebrow as he sat. The security chief was being very informal and down right friendly. “Sure, why not.”

  “Black I take it,” Ed asked, phrasing that as more of a statement than question.

  “Right.”

  “Here you go,” he offered the cup, sliding it across the desk and then turning to pour himself another shot. “I've been meaning to talk to you but I, well...”

  Irons shrugged. “You're the investigator, you can't break protocol and inform me.”

  Chambers scowled and then shrugged. Irons had been the bigger man, held out the olive branch. It was time, hell, past time he took it. “And I've been cool to you for other reasons. I know, I've been an ass. I admit it. Born an ass, I'll die an ass.”

  Irons smiled, a genuine smile of amusement at that statement. “I wasn't saying anything,” he replied, picking up the still steaming coffee cup and taking a sip.

  “You didn't have to,” Chambers said with a snort of derision, “it's been pointed out to me. I'm not as big a prick as that pencil necked pencil pushing pencil shoved up his ass Charlie, but I'm a character in my own conceited way.”

  “If you say so. I'm not going to argue with a man while in his own office. Good coffee by the way,” Irons said, taking another sip.

  “Good, glad that's out of the way,” Chambers said sitting back. “I took a few courses while in Anvil. I never, well...” he grimaced. “I admit, I wasn't happy about someone t
elling me how to do my job.”

  “What changed your mind?” Irons asked.

  “I caught one of my people reading a text and bawled him out. I thought he was reading some stupid book. He was, but it wasn't a simple book. Forensics for dummies if you can believe it!” he chuckled, shaking his head.

  “It's, hmmmm. I'm not sure if it's on the syllabus or not.”

  Chambers shook his head. “It's not, but he said he got it off a recommended reading list. That and a bunch of material on police procedure and intelligent investigation methods. That got me to wake up and take a second look. Damn near missed out on a lot of good material.”

  “Became a believer?” Irons asks amused.

  “You could say that. Which leads me to this. I've gone over what Sprite sent me. It's thin.”

  “Very.”

  “But the only way to get to the bottom of it is to confront them. Or wait until we're back in Pyrax and find out there by tracing the accounts. Me? I'm not willing to wait.”

  “Glad we're of the same mind,” Irons said amused.

  Ed gave him an appraising look and then snorted. “I caught you in the nick of time didn't I?”

  “I was on my way to follow the lead yes.”

  “Well, if I can't keep you out of it, and since yours is the neck on the line, I might as well keep you in it. Damn the book,” Ed said, setting his cup down and getting up.

  “Sometimes the book has to be ignored. It's a set of guidelines after all,” Irons said setting his cup down and getting up as well.

  “Fine, lets see what we can find out.”

  Irons followed the security chief as they made their way through the corridors. Mr. Chambers moved purposefully, with a gait that made most people step aside and make a hole. His boots echoed on the deck, marching in orderly precision, never wavering, even when they came to intersections. He preferred to take ladders over the lifts which was fine with Irons. Along the way they picked up tag along guard as if by magic. He wasn't sure if it was their boss's look or some hand sign but they fell in line quickly and quietly.

  “I'm not going to have any trouble am I?” Chambers asked, pausing at a hatch. Irons scanned the interior. A Neo-cat was within. From the look of it the compartment was the same floor plan as his. Basic and spartan. Good. No weapons other than what the cat had built into her. Also good. Unfortunately it was a Neo lioness, a cat that was easily a hundred kilo's of lithe feline grace and killing power.

  “No.” He looked around to be sure. No, none of the other cats were around. Good. They didn't need a second front in case this went south.

  “Good.”

  “Wait, you're not going to play good cop bad cop are you?” he asked.

  Chambers paused and gave one of his subordinates an amused look. The big guy snorted. “That's for the movies.” His finger stabbed at the entry button.

  The hatch opened and he leaned in. “Miss Asia a moment of your time please?”

  The lioness blinked and then her eyes narrowed. She cocked her head and Irons could see her pulse quicken as the tips of her claws came out.

  “What's this about?” she growled.

  “We'd like to ask you some questions about....”

  That was as far as Ed got before a bolt of energy leapt out of a nearby plasma conduit and slammed into the Admiral. He felt the jolt of heat and power, but his systems handled it easily, dampening it. He felt it enter the decking.

  “Careful!” he said, turning. “Someone call engineering! Get that locked down now!” he yelled just as another bolt struck.

  Asia squealed as her foot touched the floor. The others were shielded since they had insulated shoes, however she had kicked off her flip-flops and was barefoot. When her bare foot touched the deck it completed a circuit of least resistance. The energy ran up her foot, through her calf and then off through a table touching her leg and into the holo projector on the table. Energy crackled into her and she shook like a rag doll before dropping to the deck. The holo projector sparked, light exploded from it as it overloaded and blew in a shower of sparks and crackling energy.

  “MEDIC!” Irons yelled turning his head away from the explosion.

  “We can't call out! Comms are jammed!” guards called back. They were picking their radio receivers out of their ears.

  “Static energy, send a runner, your comms are fried by EMP probably. Get someone out of this. And damn it, lock that down!” Irons said, going over to the now blackened EPS conduit panel and placing his right hand on it. His shields shrugged off the next spike. He reached in and squeezed, feeling crystal crumble in his hand. What ever that was it was finished now.

  They waited for Asia to wake. Bryan had said it would take time, she'd gotten a good piece of energy, enough to do serious physical damage. Fortunately it hadn't arced across her heart. Had it done that she'd have died instantly. The energy had chewed up a lot of tissue in her leg, going from her foot up to her knee before jumping out to the metal table nearby.

  The Neo cat's frame filled up the gurney. One of these days Irons was going to remember to replicate Bryan a larger gurney or two. Maybe a regular hospital bed. Hell an antigrav tank might be nice.

  He looked around the room. Security was all over. There were a half a dozen guards in the room. None of them looked at all happy. He could understand why.

  Hera was there, summoned by Bryan and Ed Chambers. After that incident Irons had an inkling of what was going on. He was curious though to see if she would admit it.

  “So, awake I see,” the paramedic said, watching her eyelids flutter.

  “You okay?” Hera asked, hand paw on her friend's arm.

  “Yes,” she grimaced, her eyelids fluttered open. “Water,” she croaked. Bryan held up a straw and she sucked at it for a moment. She moved her arm and then paused at the sight of the IV. Golden eyes turned to the medic. They bored into him long enough to make him pause before professional decorum kicked in.

  “Electrolytes and saline to replace the water you lost. Also some regeneration metafactors to help rebuild the burnt tissue. You've lost most of the calf muscle of your right leg, your Achilles tendon, and some skin on your heel and knee. The fur as well,” Bryan grimaced, waving his hands at the smell. She grimaced at the burnt smell as well.

  “So I'll live?”

  “Looks that way,” Chambers said with a nod. She flicked a glance his way and then locked golden eyes onto the Admiral. Her jaw flexed, canines slightly exposed themselves when her lips thinned. Her nostrils dilated and then her eyes narrowed. Her claws came out, shredding the sheets around her paws. Irons didn't need to see her vital signs on the monitor to see she was agitated.

  “Easy,” the Doc said, concerned. She looked over to the Admiral. “Perhaps you shouldn't be here,” he said. It sounded more of a suggestion than a comment. Irons didn't care, he wanted to be there, he needed to know something.

  “No, I wanted him here,” the security chief said, hand on the butt of his stunner. “We need to get this straight now before scuttlebutt gets carried away.”

  “Good luck with that,” Sprite said to the Admiral's ears alone. He tried not to sigh but partially failed. “It's already all over the ship chief Chambers, As usual.”

  Chambers grimaced and shook his head. Irons glanced at him and then down to the Neo feline.

  “You were offered this passage in exchange for killing me weren't you?” he asked softly.

  Hera stiffened, eyes going to the Admiral, then down to her new matriarch. She saw confirmation in the golden eyes. “You...”

  “Made a deal with the devil. It fits,” the security chief said, shaking his head. “The accidents...”

  “Weren't by me,” Asia said clearly. She growled softly. “Yes, I was told that my... our...” She shot a glance to her clan mate. “Our passage was paid for when we killed you.” Her eyes locked on Irons for a moment. He returned her predator stare with his own. “However I decided to... change that when you discovered the virus.”


  “Change it?” Hera asked, as surprised as everyone else.

  “Clearly we... I was dealing with someone who was not trustworthy. They would have killed us all if not for the Admiral. So, why not cheat a cheater?” Asia asked, lips curving back in a primal grin.

  “My sentiments exactly,” Irons said, smiling as well. Asia took the smile in and then snorted softly in return. “I'm not happy about having to kill your...”

  “Save it. Leo was a piece of trash,” Asia waved. Hera hissed. She looked up to her partner. “He was and you know it. A bully and a sadist. He killed those people in the hallway just out of spite. You and I both know that. He was scared yes, but he could have left it alone. He let his blood lust rule and it burned him. He got what he deserved.”

  She shook her head, trying to get the remaining cobwebs of drugged sleep out of her system. “It took me a while to realize that,” she admitted softly. “You cleared the way, I was angry before, I was in free fall, afraid for myself and my clan, but grandmother was right, your actions opened more doors than I could have foreseen.”

  “And here we are,” Hera said with a nod. Asia nodded back.

  “What changed your mind?” the chief asked.

  “The virus like I said, weren't you listening?” she said testily. He grimaced. Irons glanced at him and Chambers looked chagrined. He turned back to the lioness. “What, about Leo? Oh hell, I knew he was bad news. But he was power. He had an animal magnetism too... the whole bad boy attitude, and well.... you know the whole dominance thing. King of the world,” she purred a chuckle.

  “Many people are attracted to people with power and a dark attitude for safety and security,” Irons replied.

  “But rarely get either,” Asia commented. He raised an eyebrow at the simple wisdom in that statement. “I know. I... after the matriarch's speech in sickbay I sulked. I admit it.” She raised her sheathed claws in supplication, and then flexed her fingers. “I couldn't at first. But I got bored so I did some reading.”

  “Reading? You?” Hera asked amused. “Romance novels?”

  “Actually, psychology of romance novels. I goofed when I entered the online library's search engine. But the book got me interested and I kept reading. I went from there to other books and well...” She shrugged then looked at Irons again. “Which makes me doubly indebted to you. You gave us a precious gift with the college. Between that and saving the entire system from pirates, I'd say killing the alpha male of my pride for going off the deep end and on a killing spree can be glossed over.”