‘I am making my way to the pod bay with the sample. I plan to have the Puppet stash it in Kestler’s pod, which leaves for Maladaan in a few hours—no one aboard AMIE will be any the wiser.’
‘The Puppet?’ Kassa queried Taren about the term.
‘The MSS code name for one of their sleeper agents on board this vessel,’ she replied.
‘Amie worked for the MSS? This is rubbish! We are being had!’ Lucian flatly refused to listen to any more nonsense.
‘Lucian, Taren is incapable of lying under hypnosis,’ Kassa cautioned him, realising the truth about Amie was going to surface no matter what and Lucian was going to be devastated all over again.
‘You are telepathic, Kassa. Did you ever suspect Amie of being a double agent?’
Lucian was putting Kassa in a very uncomfortable position, so she shushed him to be quiet until they got the full story from Taren, who was still caught up in Amie’s last moments. ‘Did Amie have an MSS code name?’
‘The Puppeteer,’ Taren replied and then continued her account. ‘I meet my contact in his office as arranged. When I first enter, he is curious about my visit, but upon speaking his code name he assumes his true personality, one far more menacing and aware.
‘“Did you get the sample?” he asks me and I hand it over.
‘“It was much bigger than this,” he says, noting the size of the containment cylinder. “The Master requested the entire supply.”
‘“You can tell the Master to shove it. I am not going to blow my stake in this project to save his arse! And if he doesn’t like it, I’ll tell Lucian what has been going on, and then the gravy train will stop.” I blink and there is a large blade a hair’s breadth from my right eye.
‘“I may be a puppet, darlin’, but you’re not the one pulling the strings.”’
Taren suddenly jolted in her seat, and gripped her throat.
‘Leave that experience behind you, be at peace and relax,’ Kassa advised Taren, and then looked at Lucian, whose mouth was hanging open.
‘All this time…’ Lucian was finding the accusation hard to digest. ‘…Amie was the leak.’ He held a fist to his heart to try to endure the extent of his wife’s betrayal. ‘Why? Why would she betray us all?’ He looked to Kassa for answers. ‘Did you ever detect that she might be disloyal to the project?’ he asked once again and Kassa shook her head. She didn’t want to be accused of protecting a criminal to spare her own career.
‘You would have exposed your unacceptable skill had you told me, I realise that,’ Lucian said, ‘and the last thing I want is to get you in any trouble, Kassa. You’re my rock right now. All I seek to know is if you can verify Amie’s guilt?’
Kassa took a deep breath and looked up into Lucian’s dark stormy eyes. The man did deserve to know the truth, if not the whole truth. She nodded, too ashamed to say anything, and Lucian backed up to take a seat, completely bewildered to discover he’d been sleeping with, was married to, the enemy.
‘Yes, Amie had her own agenda.’ Kassa finally found her voice. ‘I cannot tell you any details. I think she suspected I knew something, and so kept her distance. I was never able to discover much.’
Lucian had lost all expression. He didn’t know what to feel now. ‘If I had known, Kassa, I would have cut her throat myself. Amie knew how I felt about the MSS constantly interfering and exploiting our research. And she was the leak!’ He gripped his head and collapsed forward to contain his sudden fury. ‘How could I have been so blind!’
‘She was very convincing, Lucian.’ Kassa tried to be reassuring, but Lucian wasn’t having any of it and recoiled from her.
‘I knew our relationship was too good to be true!’ He burst into tears again, but was equally quick to recover. ‘No…I refuse to mourn our saboteur.’
‘Why don’t you let Taren and me handle—’
‘No more needles!’ He looked at Kassa to ensure that was not what the doctor intended. ‘I’m okay. I’m learning so much about my life suddenly that I am afraid to go to sleep in case I miss another revealing chapter.’
‘I can let you know if—’
Lucian knew what she was going to say. ‘No. I want to find this Puppet and his Master.’
The thud as a very relaxed Taren slid off her chair sent both Kassa and Lucian racing to help her back into her seat.
‘I believe you owe this one an apology,’ Kassa commented. ‘She is one hundred per cent faithful to your convictions and this project.’
‘Is that a fact?’ Lucian observed Taren in a fresh light. ‘Who is the Master?’
Taren frowned and shook her head, not understanding the question.
‘I just told her to leave Amie’s memories behind,’ Kassa explained. ‘Do you want me to guide her back in?’
Lucian looked at the pale-faced young doctor and shook his head. ‘She has already lived through Amie’s death at least three times… it’s enough. Bring her out.’ He pressed Aurora’s com-link number on his belt.
‘Yes, Captain,’ she replied with a sniffle.
‘Are you all right?’ He was concerned that Amie’s death may have upset the girl.
‘I’m fine…how are you doing?’
‘I’ll live,’ he replied. His heart felt as if it was dead and it left him feeling more determined to get to the bottom of this web of deceit. ‘I want you to send all ground crew from the launch bay to Kassa’s consultation chambers right away.’
The launch pod bay in Module F was where the spacegoing craft were launched from, including the interplanetary pods; sub bay in Module E was where all submersibles were launched from.
‘Yes, Captain.’
As Amie had been heading to the pod bay to meet her contact, reason dictated that he would be found among the flight crew. Bonar Colbers, as head engineer, was the only one with his own office and was in charge of pod launches. Lucian was fairly sure that Bonar, once hypnotised, would disclose Amie’s ‘Puppet’.
‘What’s this all about then, captain?’ Bonar was curious when he entered Kassa’s consultation office ahead of the rest of his crew, who’d been asked to sit in the waiting room. He looked from the captain to Kassa and back again. ‘Has this got something to do with your wife’s death?’ He took a few steps backward, fearful that he was under suspicion.
‘We are going to have to question everyone, and we plan to do so using hypnosis,’ the captain said. ‘The session will be recorded so that you know exactly what has been said. Do you object for any reason?’
‘Well, no, captain.’ Bonar did not look at all guilty, just concerned. ‘But why start with me?’
‘Actually, Dr Lennox went first,’ Lucian told him, which relaxed the engineer a little.
‘I thought she was passed out?’ He took a seat.
‘She regained consciousness and has returned to her quarters to rest,’ Kassa said, sitting down in front of the engineer. ‘Now, I want you to just relax and listen to my voice…’
Once the engineer was under, Lucian and Kassa questioned him about what he was doing at the time of Amie’s death. The engineer could not recall and thought he was probably taking a nap.
Lucian sat back in his chair and threw his hands up in frustration. ‘He cannot lie, right?’
‘I suspect ordinary hypnotism cannot break through MSS conditioning.’ Kassa frowned. ‘I am wary of—’
Before she had finished voicing a caution, Lucian leant forward in his seat to confront the docile engineer, whose eyes were closed. ‘I want to speak with the Puppet.’
Bonar’s eyelids sprang open instantly, startling Lucian and Kassa so much that they could not move fast enough before the hefty man gripped both their throats. ‘Why am I talking to you two?’ he asked. ‘Ah, the cat is out of the bag,’ he figured and grinned. ‘All good things must come to an end.’
‘Who is the Master?’ Lucian squeaked out the question while struggling with both hands to loosen the engineer’s grip on his throat.
‘Wouldn’t you like to know??
?? Bonar said, his snide grin infuriating the captain. Before he could summon the strength to hit the man, Bonar’s killer grip loosened and he fell to the floor unconscious.
The captain, astonished and gasping for air, looked at Kassa who held an empty syringe high and was breathing heavily in shock. ‘I’d say…we’ve found…our killer.’ She conjured up a smile.
‘But the Master remains elusive,’ the captain said, with some disappointment. ‘Any ideas?’
Kassa shook her head, annoyed that he refused to think it through. ‘Taren told you who he was days ago.’
‘Are you referring to Swithin?’ The captain really did not want to believe the worst about his brother and business partner.
‘Come on, Lucian, it is blindingly obvious,’ Kassa appealed. ‘And if that sample is for him, we have to advise him to release it or face the consequences.’
‘What consequences?’ Lucian wanted specifics.
‘We don’t know—’
‘Then as soon as Dr Lennox wakes, I suggest you find out.’ A very dark mood had settled over Lucian and Kassa was not about to argue with a man on the edge. ‘Let me know what you discover. Then I can confront Swithin.’
Kassa nodded, looking over at the unconscious engineer. ‘What shall we do about him?’
AMIE didn’t have any security personnel. Lucian had hand-picked all the crew and the scientists on board and had deemed hired muscle unnecessary. ‘I’ll have his boys drag him up to bio-containment. We can lock him in there for now.’
‘What will you tell the crew?’
‘As soon as I figure out the truth,’ Lucian advised, ‘I’ll let everyone else know. Until then…’ He placed a finger to his lips and left the room.
Taren’s dreams were disturbed by the horrid images of Amie’s last moments, yet as she moved closer to a waking state, she was mentally transported back to Oceane.
She was being ravished by her admirer and she felt the erotic atmosphere coursing through her, arousing all her senses and dispersing her inhibitions. His lips caressed her neck and shoulders as his hands explored the contours of her body. He pulled back to give her a reassuring smile and Taren’s heart skipped a beat when it was not Zeven seducing her.
‘Ah!’ she gasped, wide-eyed and confused to find herself awake and sitting bolt upright in her sleeping pod. ‘Wow.’ She felt so hot, and not in an unpleasant way.
The door buzzer startled her and this seemed to explain what had dragged her so rudely from her dream. ‘Lucian,’ she murmured under her breath, horrified and delighted to feel his touch all through her. ‘Wait a second! I am angry with him, aren’t I?’
The buzzer went again and Taren was forced to abandon that train of thought. ‘Just a minute,’ she called, looking around for her robe.
Taren was still tying her robe on when she checked through the peephole, relieved to see Kassa, looking impatient.
‘Open up. We have work to do.’
‘Unlock.’ The door slid aside to reveal Taren’s dishevelled state. ‘Did I oversleep?’
‘Not really,’ Kassa sympathised, as she stepped inside and the door closed behind her. ‘I brought you breakfast.’
The doctor handed Taren a bag which she opened and inspected. ‘Organic muesli, and fresh juice.’ Taren was relieved to discover Kassa had brought her exactly what she wanted. ‘How did you know?’
Kassa cocked an eye and gave her a worried look. ‘You’re not really awake yet, are you?’
‘Not really,’ Taren yawned. ‘I had confusing dreams.’
Taren wanted to retract that statement, for her mind immediately skipped to her vision of Lucian all wet and steamy, which Kassa promptly picked up on.
The doctor smiled broadly. ‘Been having sweet dreams about our captain again, have we?’ she teased and Taren begged her to hush.
‘What do you mean, again?’ Taren realised Kassa already knew about her crush on Lucian and waved off an answer. ‘The man’s wife has just been murdered, I don’t think this—’
‘His unfaithful, treacherous wife,’ Kassa stated firmly and Taren’s jaw dropped.
‘What?’ She was appalled. ‘Amie cheated on Lucian? Was the woman mentally defective?’
‘Well, Lucian doesn’t know about the unfaithful part yet, and hopefully he never will. Learning that Amie betrayed the project has been enough for him to bid her good riddance,’ Kassa summed up her shocking little confession. ‘So, I am overjoyed you have a thing for Lucian, as I happen to think you would be wonderful for each other.’
‘Shh!’ Taren urged, although she couldn’t wipe the smile off her face. ‘For the last time, I am not on AMIE to fall in love.’
‘Fine.’ Kassa, sceptical, humoured her. ‘Let’s work.’
‘Fine,’ Taren concurred, heading for the shower. ‘Won’t be a tick.’
En route to the bio lab where the sample was being housed, Taren spotted Ringbalin working away in his quarantine lab. Curious about his discoveries, she backtracked, telling Kassa she’d meet her there.
‘This is important,’ Kassa said, not wanting to be kept waiting.
‘I am aware,’ Taren sang back, as she buzzed to get Ringbalin to let her in. He pushed a button to unlock the door, very glad to see her, and beckoned her inside.
‘Wow!’ was all he would say as he looked over the data on the screen of his workstation.
‘What are you looking at?’ Taren queried as the lab doors automatically closed behind her.
‘The analysis of the air you brought me and it’s intense!’ He pushed his glasses up his nose.
‘The analysis?’ She bent over the back of his chair to see if she could make head or tail of it.
‘No, the air itself is intense,’ he corrected. ‘Everything a thriving planet needs. If I put this stuff in my greenhouse the plants there would outgrow Module C in a week!’ he said excitedly. ‘I’m surprised you’re not pregnant from just breathing it in!’
Taren grinned at the comment, considering how close she’d come.
‘I’ll have to bonsai the tundrell to keep it alive. If this is the atmosphere that is required to sustain it, it would use all my current greenhouse resources in no time at all! It’s a good thing we’re heading back to Maladaan. I’ll leave it with the labs at the institute. They are going to be—’
‘Wait a minute…we’re heading back to Maladaan?’ Taren was disappointed at this news.
‘The captain gave the order about five hours ago.’ He was surprised she hadn’t been informed already. ‘Don’t worry about the time it will take out of your assignment. They’ll add any time lost to the end of your stay, so you’ll actually gain time aboard AMIE.’
‘That’s not my concern. We’re going to miss the anomaly’s departure—a once-in-a-lifetime event.’
‘Relax. The captain deployed several satellite probes before we left Oceane,’ Ringbalin advised her. ‘They’ll relay images of the event, so you won’t miss it completely.’
‘Thanks, Balin. I’ll catch you.’
Inside her lab, Taren was greeted by an explosive situation. The gas sample inside the bio-containment room was visibly excited within its transparent tube.
‘It’s furious,’ Kassa explained as she crouched against the back wall of the lab. ‘It wants to know why we are moving away.’
‘I want to know why we are moving away.’
The instrumentation in her lab was going berserk, although normally the being had only communicated through the FFRD—this was a show of strength.
‘Captain.’ Taren hit his number on her communicator.
‘Dr Lennox,’ he responded at once.
‘There’s a situation unfolding in the lab that you should see.’
‘How fortunate that I am right…’ He walked in and was stunned by the chaos he witnessed. ‘…here.’
Kassa gripped her head as the confined being endeavoured to voice itself through her. ‘Ahhhh,’ she wailed and when Lucian moved to assist her, Taren held him back. Then Ka
ssa threw herself back up to standing to confront them .
‘Why do you retreat without returning our parts to the whole?’
The voice speaking through Kassa was clearly not her own. It sounded like numerous voices all speaking at once, and the words were slow and laboured so as to be understood. But its volume was almost deafening.
‘Are your crew and machines not safe?’ it appealed to Lucian.
Lucian, absolutely speechless, nodded.
‘We humour you because you are ignorant and fragile. Release us immediately or we will free ourselves at a fatal cost to you.’
‘I will have you released from containment at once,’ Lucian assured it, his voice sounding soft and tiny by comparison. ‘But the other small portion that is en route to our home planet cannot be released until it arrives at its destination in ten days, time.’
Kassa’s eyes narrowed as the entity stewed on the information.
‘We will refrain from using force at present, but we will not be responsible for the consequences should you not take action before we must depart. Is it not better to lose one man than to risk the entire population of a planet?’ it asked.
Lucian stewed on the question. He greatly respected the mind and work of the man this entity was suggesting he sacrifice, and as far as he knew, Kestler wasn’t aware he was carrying the explosive cargo. But he was obviously an MSS sleeper agent if he’d done tests on the sample for Amie and her Master.
‘I have already lost one of my chief scientists. I do not wish to lose another.’ Lucian made his decision. ‘I will ensure that my people on Maladaan release the sample immediately upon its arrival.’
‘We hope the timing works for you, as for us it makes no difference. We move on, regardless of the constraints of any given universe.’
Suddenly, Lucian realised the magnitude of experience that the being before him must have had. He had merely crossed a few solar systems, whereas this being jumped universes and dimensions! He didn’t feel that now was the right time for a question-and-answer session, however.
‘Clear the vacuum trap and jettison the contents,’ Lucian ordered Taren.