CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Chief Davers was busier since PHOENIX returned to the solar system than any other time since becoming head of security. He had to keep constant track of the people coming and going from the ship. Almost every part of the ship had been invaded by TERRA officers and their consultants, getting as much information about the ship and its secrets. On top of that, the chief had been notified that an additional five thousand people would be joining the crew, which required him to redo his security schedule and request additional personnel for his department.

“Another three requisitions have been uploaded to our server,” as Davers’ assistant walked in his office. The chief quickly brought them up on his holographic DAT and shook his head in frustration.

“I already told them I need pulse rifles, not the standard guns. We have plenty of those.” Davers flicked off his DAT in frustration. “I swear things would have been so much easier if we were still in space fighting the Screen.”

His assistant smiled. “We’re the most popular ship in the fleet. Everyone is clamoring to join the crew.”

“I know. I also have the regional heads of security asking me to give a lecture on starship security. I’m a security officer, not a professor. If I wanted to teach I’d have accepted the teaching position at the Academy.”

Suddenly, the chief’s pip beeped. “Franklin to Davers.”

“What is it?”

“I need you to come down to Smitty’s. There’s something I need you to see.”

“Can it wait? I’m pretty swamped up here.”

“It can’t. It’s not an emergency, but it’s urgent.”

Davers rolled his eyes. “Alright, on my way.” He looked at his assistant. “He better have a beer waiting for me.”

********

The trip down to Central was different now. The chief walked past a lot more people in the hallways. Even the lift was jammed pack with people. He was looking forward to things settling down once PHOENIX departed the solar system.

Davers found Franklin waiting outside in front of Smitty’s. It was already 0900 hours but the pub was still closed.

“Thanks for coming down,” Franklin said in a somber tone. “I know you’re busy and wouldn’t have called if needed.” The pub owner unlocked the doors and led the chief inside. “I was getting the place ready to open and went to check inventory in the kitchen.” They entered the kitchen and rounded a corner where Davers saw what Franklin was referring to. There on the floor laid the body of a dead man.

“As soon as I saw him I left and called you,” explained Franklin. “I didn’t touch anything in here.”

Davers slowly approached the body. There was no need to rush to the man’s aid. It was apparent he was dead. His clothes were shredded and his body was littered with claw marks. It was as if he had been put through a cheese grater.

“Do you know him?” Davers asked Franklin.

“No, but I had Vish ID him from his pip. His name is Geoff Sauners, a maintenance tech.”

Davers looked around the area. Nothing seemed disturbed or out of place. He noticed there was no pool of blood. It was obvious to the chief that the man had been killed elsewhere and his body dumped here.

“I’ll call medical and have them pick up the body,” explained Davers. “I’ll need to conduct a full forensic examination of the pub. I’m afraid I’ll need to keep the place shut down for at least a day.”

“Fine by me,” replied Franklin. “I just can’t believe someone was murdered.”

“Sure looks that way.” Several crewmembers had difficulty adjusting to life in space but none of the psychologists ever indicated any of them were prone to act out in violence.

Davers looked at the body once more. Hopefully, the body’s physical marks would yield some genetic material that might lead them to the killer. It was a shame this had happened. Davers had always thought that violent crimes like murder only happened on Earth, Luna, and Mars. But humans will be humans, even on a starship.

********

Up on the command deck, John was in his office going over his own batch of reports. Requisitions and meeting requests were flooding his in-box, but he was in no hurry to get through them. He took his time reviewing each memo. After saving the human race from the Screen, he was entitled to make people wait on him. To make his point, those messages marked urgent he purposely put to the back of the pile to read.

“Michaels to Roberts,” Bret said over the office speakers. “I have Chief-Of-Staff Charles on the line for you.”

“Put him through,” requested John. He activated the desk’ holographic display and the image of Charles appeared over the table. “Charles, thanks for getting back to me.”

“What can I do for you, captain?” asked Butu’s right hand man.

“It’s about the report I sent you outlining my personal impressions of the alliance leaders,” said John. He had detailed his interactions in the report for the president’s office so they could use it to begin the process of establishing diplomatic relations with their alien allies. “But I noticed in your office’s response you made no mention of the Ni.”

“Our diplomatic office reached out to the Onixins, Quix, Senfo, and Ni. We received positive responses from three of them. However, the Ni replied they did not wish to engage in any diplomatic dialogue with us.”

That didn’t sound right. The Ni were suspicious of aliens but John thought they had gotten past all that. After all, it was the Ni who were heavily involved in rebuilding PHOENIX and they did participate in the final battle with the Screen. Why snub humans now?

“Did they give any reasons why they don’t want to establish relations?” asked John.

Charles shook his head. “They replied they have no interest in relations with any alien race. I know you have a Ni working on your ship. Has he mentioned why his people don’t want to talk to us?”

“No, but I’ll ask him.” Jacks hadn’t indicated that its race had a change in heart in dealing with humans. Then again, Jacks wasn’t connected with the whole. It would have no idea what they were thinking.

“If you learn anything, please let me know,” requested Charles.

“I will. Roberts out.” That was interesting. Were the Ni having second thoughts about involving themselves in interstellar affairs? Maybe now that the Screen were defeated the Ni wanted to go back to being xenophobic.

It was one more thing John would have to deal with, but later. First, he needed take care of other business. He pulled up Kevin’s resignation letter on the desk’s display. Julie had already given him the heads up about it. It didn’t make it easier seeing the letter. After all they went though these past three years, John expected everyone would remain on board. None of them ever talked about voluntarily leaving PHOENIX after completing their primary mission.

“Vish, where’s Kevin at?”

“Lieutenant Jacobson is at The Stardust Cafe.”

“Thanks.” John left his office to speak with Julie. He found her discussing ship operations with Tim. Jacks wasn’t on the command deck, so John couldn’t pull the alien aside and find out why the Ni had withdrawn from contact.

“I’ll be in Central talking to Kevin,” John informed Julie.

Julie knew it would be to discuss Kevin’s resignation. “Good luck.”

“Captain Roberts,” called Bret from his station. “We’re getting a message from the Onixin cruiser EDUFEA.” That was the cruiser the Onixins dispatched to pick up the former PHOENIX crew members who were put off the ship after Thomas Sandoval’s attempted coup failed.

John looked at Julie. “Can you handle it?”

“Sure. Go take care of Kevin.”

********

After a long trek to getting to Central, and stopping numerous times shaking hands with people who wanted to congratulate John for defeating the Screen, the captain reached his destination. He found his navigation officer sitting at one of the porch tables at the café.

“Mind some company?” asked John.

Kevin was glad to see the captain but his face did not reflect it. He had a lot on his mind, a lot of decisions to make. He motioned for John to sit down. “I’m sure you’re here to ask why I’m resigning my position.”

“Not just your position on PHOENIX but your commission in TERRA,” said John. “A lot of things have changed but you still have a place on this ship. You’ve worked so hard to get where you’re at.”

“It’s not that,” replied Kevin. “Have you told TERRA about the mutes who’ve been serving on board?”

“That’s medical information that can only be released by the chief medical officer,” said John. “I don’t see any reason that TERRA should know about them, or you.”

“Why?” asked Kevin. “Is it because you know TERRA would expel us from the fleet if they learned about us?” It was a longstanding policy that no one with genetic deformities, no matter how mild, could serve in TERRA.

“You and the others proved your conditions had no bearing on your abilities,” said John.

“You didn’t answer my question,” countered Kevin. He was getting upset that the captain was trying to avoid the question.

John realized he couldn’t dance around the issue. “Yes, I’m afraid that’s exactly what they would do. I don’t even think my high standing with the public would be enough to prevent TERRA from booting all of you from the fleet. So why risk it? There’s no need for them to ever know about you.”

Kevin shook his head. “I can’t live like that. I’d rather resign my commission on my own terms than have it taken away. Someone has to speak up for all those people who want a life away from Earth. And it’s even more important to speak out knowing the human race is on the path to extinction.”

“Kevin, the Population Bureau will be receiving the data on that study,” assured John.

“You really think the bureau doesn’t already know what’s going on?” asked Kevin. “They’re in charge of monitoring human population growth. They have to already know.”

“So what do you propose?” asked John. “Tell the public? You know what sort of upheaval that’ll cause?”

“You rather keep quiet?”

“I’m not about to take any action that’ll have a detrimental effect on our people,” stated John. “This isn’t a black and white issue.”

“I can’t sit by and do nothing,” replied Kevin. “I understand your position but you have to understand mine.”

They were at a stalemate. John needed to come up with a compromise. “What about this? What if we present this to the president together? Let her decide what’s the best course of action.”

Kevin never expected that sort of offer. “You think you can get an audience with her?”

John smiled. “Oh, I’m pretty sure I can.”