>>5976537The holding room is brightly lit but bare, sombre. Good for, well, interrogating but not the softer kind of talking you're looking for. You have only one shot at setting this whole clusterfuck right, doesn't hurt to tip the scales a little in the right direction. “Silas, excuse me for a moment. And while you're waiting, just throw together a short speech or something. You'll be going first."
You pretend not to see the two guards' clumsy attempt to sweep the dice and cards under the CCTV console. The taller one, who handled your paperwork earlier, did not wipe out his grin in time. This must be our highroller. “You, yes, you, private, tell me your name.” His back stiffens, his eyes nervously glued to an invisible spot on the wall. No bugs this time. “Frank, Ma'am. Sergeant Frank Ypres.”
“Good, that‘a spirit. Now, Frank, why don’t you run down to our dear XO's wine cellar and fetch me a drink. Terribly hot in here.” The younger guard scrambles for the air control panel. “It was rhetorical, private...”
“Park, Ma'am. Private Park Kang-min.” He steals a glance at his superior to make sure his pose is correct. “Private Park, follow me, you are to guard the interrogation room until I am done with a most serious business.” Ypres is already itching to leave. “Also, Frank, remember to get the maintenance key from Goldsmith first. Tell him half a dozen deckhands will be reassigned to his department in exchange. Dismissed.” You grab a stun gun from the locker on your way out.
Misgauging your earshot, Park gingerly whispers to his sweating superior, “I thought she was wearing heels all this time.” Frank, an even poorer judge of hearing, whistles loudly, “Tall girls ain't worth it, son. Breathing all that thin air messes with their head.” Note to self: ask Ludlow to give Frank ‘special’ treatment.
Silas is pacing back and forth in front of the interrogation room. “This is private Park, he will be guarding us while we're in there. Are you ready?” He nods, right on cue. “Then what are we waiting for? Let's head in." The door opens with a slight whine.
Tim looks at Silas expectantly, awaiting an explanation for his arrest. You lean back against a corner, arms crossed. Silas clears his throat with a series of coughs, before unlocking the prisoner's wrist cuffs, “Sorry about that, was afraid you won't come with me willingly. You didn't show up to the meeting and all.”
Tim's reply was curt, acerbic, “So, can I leave now?” He cocks his head slightly, “Or do you want to say something else?” For the first time, Tim is going on the offensive. Silas stands his ground, “Yes, I just want to chat about the investigations, that's all.” Your second officer takes an expertly drilled breath, his facial muscles completely under control, “She did it. Commander Thornton killed those men. With the Law as my witness, that is my testimony.”
