>>5944741“Poisoned water.” You can already imagine the whole thing playing out. “Filtration system failed, prisoners accidentally drank their own piss. Guards untrained, didn't recognise the symptoms in time. Tsu blew his lid at me, demanding an investigation. A glitch in the mainframe, unfortunate, but nobody's fault.”
You pour yourself a glass from the pitcher and hold it up under the light. “No. Would be smarter if it is somebody's fault.” Silas attentively raises his brows. The water is clear, save for a few specks of dust. “A rival. Or perhaps a former friend grown anxious. In any case, you, the lead investigator, finally arrived at a dead end.” You take but a small sip and let the tongue spread its cool wetness around.
“Going beyond your due diligence to these mutineers, you ordered a surgical check-up of the ship's most suspicious sections. Matters not one lick if anything was found. Both you and I are now beyond suspicion.” You smack your wetted lips a few times to paper down the cracks. “Shame really. They were rotten men, and still it would be a rotten way to die.”
Silas scratches his chin, “So we will have to delay the search until Ludlow is through with them." You nod, “Yes, but this way both steps can feed into one another. The murder calls for the search, and the search covers up the murder. There is another benefit.” How wonderful the fog cleaving the surface of cool glass is.
“In order to avoid certain... complications, I will decide against contacting Fleet. Investigative secrecy and so on. They will know, eventually, but by then we should have a slugproof story prepared.”
Silas silently contemplates your plan for some time. He half-mutters, “How do you know her so well, Ray?” Who is Ray?
“Oh, nothing. You just reminded me of something someone told me a long time ago.” You narrow your eyes. Is there anything important he's not telling you?
“Don't worry. When you have served for a long time like I did, sometimes a situation just calls up an image, or a line. Just pops out from a corner of your mind. Nothing new anymore and all that.”
You return the glass to the table, “If there's anything that tickles your instinct, you should say it now. Since you're carrying it out.” He hastily shakes his head. “No, no problem at all. Sounds like a fine plan to me.”
“Hmm, that was surprising. I thought you would find something.” He tries a disarming smile, but that only made you more anxious. “Best of luck then, Silas.”
Silas salutes casually before leaving, “I will leave you to rest then, Commander.” Here's how you do a disarming smile. “What happened to Vee? I like her.” A mischievous grin, “Commander Vee.”
