Arrest Traitor
The embassy staff stop in their tracks and stare with shock as you burst into the diplomatic suite with Captain Xio and the rest of her MPs. A pair of Marines move forward, ready to intercede. A few quick words from you and Xio clear the way.
You stride through the rooms, heading toward the ambassador’s office. As you near, Counselor Sherrik steps in front of you, hands upheld. “Specialist. Captain Xio. What is the meaning of this intrusion. Ambassador Rohyamar left strict instructions—”
One of the MPs grabs his right arm and twists it behind his back. In seconds, they have Sherrik cuffed. “What is the meaning of this?!” he shouts, outraged.
“Counselor Sherrik,” you say, “you’re under arrest for suspicion of conspiracy to murder, treason, and other assorted offenses”
“That’s insane! You’re insane! I’ve done no such thing. You can’t—”
You lean in closer. “I’ve got you on video, altering the customs records from that console over there.” You point toward the desk of one of the embassy aids.
Sherrik’s face goes pale. It’s a satisfying reaction. Then he flushes bright red and draws his shoulders back. “So you caught me. It won’t change anything. You don’t understand what—”
“Understand what?” says Ambassador Rohyamar as she leaves her office. She surveys the situation with a steely gaze. “Just what is going on, Specialist? Captain Xio? And why have you arrested Counselor Sherrik?”
It doesn’t take you long to walk the ambassador through what you’ve found. If anything, her expression grows increasingly hard as you talk. When you finish, she turns on Sherrik, and in a deadly quiet voice says, “Why?”
He sneers at her. “This peace can’t last. It’s unnatural. We know it, the Jellies know it. People like you think we can all live together in harmony. That’s not how the universe works, and it’s naïve to think otherwise.”
Rohyamar’s eyes narrow. “That’s why you had Umesh killed. You were trying to start a war.”
“War is inevitable,” says Sherrik. “Better to get it over with sooner.”
“And if killing Umesh didn’t get you your war, you were going to blow up the station mind.”
Sherrik sneers again. “This station is the biggest threat we’ve ever seen, outside the Maw. For fuck’s sake, it is the Maw. How can you not see that? If we don’t stop it now, we’ll never be able to.”
“So you took it upon yourself to make this decision for everyone else. That’s very presumptuous of you, Mister Sherrik.”
He lifts his chin. “I’m not the only one who feels this way. This operation was backed by a large group of patriots, both human and Jellies. You may have stopped us now, but we will succeed, no matter what you do to me.”
An expression of disgust forms on Rohyamar’s face. “I’ve heard enough. Get this traitor out of my sight.”
The MPs hustle Sherrik away, and she address you. “Well done, Specialist. Thank you.”
“All in a day’s work,” you say in a dry tone. “But you’re very welcome, Ma’am.”
She rubs her temples. “The intelligence services are going to have a field day with this one. I’m not even sure of who to trust. If Sherrik had help from sympathizers in the military or members of the parliament . . .” She shakes her head.
You think of your contacts back in the UMCI. As they say, once you’re in, you’re never really out. “Let me ask some questions on my own. Discreet questions. There are some folks at the UMCI we can rely on. Good folks.”
She eyes you. Nods. “I appreciate that, Specialist. Whatever you need, just let me know, day or night.”
“Ma’am.”
She sighs and then looks around as if reassessing. She gestures at the curving walls. “And what do you think of Unity after all this?”
The strange and beautiful rooms you’ve seen flash through your mind. You shake your head. “It’s amazing. There’s nothing like it in the galaxy. Whatever it is, it’s worth protecting.”
A smile break’s Rohyamar’s façade. She holds out a hand. “Welcome to Unity, Specialist.” You shake, and then she says, “Now, you should get that leg looked at by Cortez. And then I’m ordering you take some well-deserved R&R for the next two days. There will be plenty of time for paperwork after.”
“Thank you, Ma’am. Will do.”