Outcasts of Gideon

Fractured : Part 2

While aboard the Gakuto, Kishan had decided that his adventure with the Aion misfits was over. As soon as he could, he'd get Quinton away from them. They might find a place on Luna, somewhere Quinton could live out his days. All of this still depended on the sale of the leikela. Captain Peduli tore those plans apart by getting the Damasos involved.

He'd not had to deal directly with the Damasos for some time. The few cases involved routine security checkpoints he navigated with ease. The most recent of those was a few years ago. As he knew, each of those times would have followed him here. When the Damasos arrived, two officers were assigned to him.

The quarantine process involved a battery of scans and disinfectant scrubs. When all the probing and scraping ended, he found himself pulling on his jumpsuit in a large locker area. As he expected, they didn't find anything wrong with him.

While enduring this was bad enough, it was the least of his problems. Both Quinton and Grant had their own escorts. He didn't have access to either of them. He also had no idea where the leikela was. If Grant still had it, then the Damasos likely took it from him. That was another avenue closed off.

The two men assigned to Kishan placed restraints on his wrists and led him from the locker area. Around them the station was buzzing. What little he knew about this place, the crowds were not to be expected. He assumed the activity was due to the quarantine.

He was guided through an open area where they found a long hallway. At the end of this was a plain door. Nothing indicated any purpose behind it. When they passed through, he found another hive of activity. From what he could tell, this was a mixture of Damasos and lunar security. It appeared hastily put together. Tables and desks were unevenly placed. Kishan counted a dozen people distributed about. Some were seated. A few were donning riot gear.

A large monitor hung from the far wall. On it appeared a map of the station. The area around the dock was identified in red. Transit lines around and out of the station had alternating colors of red, blue, and green. Similar colors were applied to a list of locations along the right side.

Neither Grant nor Quinton were here. Kishan assumed that was because they were still being processed. Of course, they might already be in one of the many rooms here.

He was led to a small interrogation room. In it was a single table with three chairs. His guards sat him down in the lone chair on one side, removing his restraints. They left, closing him in with his thoughts.

Minutes stretched into hours, and still he sat alone. He twice knocked on the door to get someone's attention but received no response. When the door finally did open, a large man in a Damasos uniform entered. The man sat in one of the seats across from Kishan, spreading a folder on the table before him. On his uniform was the name Frediano. Kishan recognized his insignia as that of a Captain.

"Mister Saanvi, correct?"

"That's correct. Can you tell me why I'm being held?"

Captain Frediano opened the folder and scanned a few items. "It's interesting. We have these sophisticated communications devices." He held up his left arm, displaying his device. "They can pull up any number of things. Data accurate to the current moment. We can even display holograms, charts, evidence. Yet we still use these paper folders."

"I'm having trouble seeing your point."

"It's about the profession, really. My profession. Laying out a folder is meant to make you uncomfortable. You're supposed to think about how much evidence we might have against you. The physical folder is still more effective than technology despite being more limiting. Somehow, I don't think it will be very effective with you."

"No? Why is that?"

"Mister Saanvi, you appear here and there in our records. Between those appearances, you become a ghost. A non-person. What you see here is the sum total of all the Damasos knows about you. It isn't very much."

"Maybe there's not much to know."

"That could be, but it's unlikely." The officer raised his arm again, this time displaying an image of two firearms. "For example, these two energy weapons. We found them on the Uki Gakuto. No one on that vessel has a license to carry such a weapon. None of the crew had any knowledge of them. This means they likely originated with your party."

"You will have some difficulty proving that."

"Perhaps, but I'm not concerned about it. These provide proof there's more here than meets the eye. You see, by not leaving a trail, you made the discovery of these weapons more likely."

"And it's not possible that I'm an unassuming, law abiding citizen of the Dominium?"

"No, it's not how our system is designed. You see, many of our laws exist to ensure that everyone leaves a trail. Both of your compatriots have extensive records. They aren't particularly active people, but I can tell you many things about them. The old man, for example, spends a great deal of time meeting with some of the less desirable elements of Dione. He appears to be maintaining your father's subversive activities. The shuttle owner is a different story. He spends so much time in restaurants, one wonders how he keeps his business running."

"I'm not sure what that has to do with me."

"That's part of my problem as well. Neither you nor the old man seems even remotely connected to the shuttle owner. What's his name?"

"Grant."

"That's right, Grant Lackey. He has a past. The old man has a past. You somehow do not. Yet all three of you were aboard the Uki Gakuto when a quarantine was triggered." Captain Frediano closed the folder and rose, pulling it to his side. "Now I don't buy the story of an alien device, but I am compelled to pursue these other people from your party. They are supposedly the immediate danger. When I've retrieved them, you and I will sit down so I can understand how you fit in this puzzle. My guess is you play a large role." He turned to the door and knocked. It opened.

A junior officer entered and motioned for Kishan to rise. "Come with me." He led Kishan into the busy room. There were even more people now than there had been before. The junior officer grabbed his arm and guided him toward the far end of the room. Down a corridor, they came across another door. Kishan was led into a larger room where both Quinton and Grant waited. The door closed behind him.

"Where have you been?" asked Grant. He was sweating.

"They held me for interrogation. They didn't have enough information to know where to start. My guess is they expect to learn something by putting us together. They've already found the energy weapons."

Grant nodded.

Kishan walked over and put his hand on Quinton's shoulder. "Did they spend time with either of you?"

"I haven't been here very long. Old men dress slowly." Quinton flashed a broad smile.

"What about you?" Kishan turned to Grant. "Not carrying your satchel. Did they take that from you?"

"No, I left that with Dewey."

"Really?" Kishan had not counted on that. Now that he knew the pilot had the leikela, that forced finding the others back into his plans.

"I figured it would be safer with him. That was before we were separated."

"Well, it might be safer with him after all."