Deep Space Odysse Volume 1

Chapter 11 Interrogation (Part 1)

At dawn, Reynolds was roused by the sharp sound of the doorbell.
Opening his eyes, he tapped on the wall, and the face of Russell Hill appeared on the opposite screen.
Seeing him, Reynolds knew his day would be ruined.
Nevertheless, he maintained his composure. "It's only 7:30 in the morning, Investigator Hill. What could possibly bring you here so early?"
Russell Hill responded, "It's an invitation, Captain Reynolds. There are a few unresolved questions regarding the Aphrodite. Perhaps you could help clarify them. I was hoping to invite you to the Federation Fleet Investigation Bureau for a morning tea."
Reynolds froze.
An invitation from the security agency was never a good sign. In such places, tea was often synonymous with interrogation.
Though Reynolds wasn't familiar with the Federation Fleet Bureau's methods, he knew all too well the ways of security agencies. No matter the type, it was never a good omen.
After a long look at Russell Hill, Reynolds asked, "We can't discuss this here?"
"The conversation involves classified matters, and we may need to make backups. You know how tricky lawyers can be these days. We must be cautious."
Reynolds frowned deeper. "Am I to understand that you hold serious suspicions about the events on the Aphrodite and are moving toward a formal accusation against me?"
"No, no, no!" Russell Hill quickly reassured, "Please don't misunderstand, Mr. Reynolds. This is just a conversation. Though I can't rule out the possibility that your statements might become evidence. Whether or not there's an accusation will depend on your performance."
Reynolds responded coldly, "I thought it would depend on the facts."
Hill smiled. "I thought it would depend on the truth."
...

An hour later, Reynolds found himself in the "reception room" of the Federation Fleet Investigation Bureau.
It was a stark, empty room. Apart from a table and two chairs, there was nothing.
The glaring white of the room cast an eerie atmosphere.
Reynolds sat facing the door, with Russell Hill across from him. Beside Hill sat a young female investigator, with a rounded face and glasses.
Though her appearance was sweet, the look she gave Reynolds was anything but. In fact, it was fierce.
From her eyes, Reynolds saw contempt and disdain, as though she were looking at a lowlife.
This made his heart sink slightly.
"Before we begin, would you like something to drink, Captain Reynolds?" Russell Hill asked with an innocent smile.
After a moment's thought, Reynolds answered, "Coffee. And please, don't call me Captain. I'm no longer one."
"Alright then, Commander Reynolds. After all, you're still the mech commander of the squadron, aren't you?" Hill snapped his fingers, and a guard entered. "One coffee, please."
Hill then activated the holographic recorder and said to Reynolds, "Let's begin. Commander Reynolds, on February 12th, 7455 in Earth's calendar, the Aphrodite, along with four other starships, received orders from Earth's Fleet to proceed to the Eridanus star region on a secret mission. If I'm not mistaken, the mission was to retrieve a certain special object, correct?"
"Yes."
Russell Hill continued, "On June 28th, the Aphrodite and its escort ships completed the mission. However, on the way back, you were attacked by Divine Clan forces and a small contingent of Ark insectoids. During the battle, Captain Jerome and all officers ranked lieutenant and above were killed in the conference room by a Divine Clan energy cannon. That was your previous testimony, wasn't it?"
Reynolds remained silent.
"Now, I have a question, Commander Reynolds. Why was Captain Jerome in a meeting during a battle? I mean, with the Divine Clan hot on your heels, he seemed awfully relaxed."
"The meeting occurred before the Divine Clan attacked. At that time, Captain Jerome was in the middle of it."
"So, you're saying he was killed at the very start of the battle?" Hill pressed.
Reynolds hesitated for a moment before nodding. "More or less."
"I need more than 'more or less.' Is it yes or no?"
"...Yes."
"So, can I then infer that since Captain Jerome died at the outset, you were in command of the battle from the very beginning?"
"...Yes."
"By the same logic, Captain Jerome couldn't have issued any orders during the battle, correct? Because he was already dead."
"...Yes."
A satisfied smile spread across Russell Hill's face.
He gazed at Reynolds as though he had finally cornered a cunning criminal. His voice took on a tone of grave sympathy. "Over the past few days, I've been investigating the records of the Aphrodite. Unfortunately, most of them were destroyed. I couldn't find any useful information... The Divine Clan's firepower was impressively accurate, hitting nearly every section with data storage systems."
Hill's words dripped with sarcasm.
Reynolds simply watched him in silence.
"But I believe there are always some records that cannot be erased. Like people... The Aphrodite had many soldiers aboard, and though most claim the battle was chaotic and they don't know much, a few insist on the same story. However, there are always some who provide additional information. Especially when I discovered that Aphrodite wasn't just carrying its own soldiers but also the injured from four other starships, including the Red Rain and Autumn."
At this point, Russell Hill's smile grew more smug. "I paid special visits to them."
Reynolds remained motionless.
"While most couldn't provide me with much substantive information about the Aphrodite, you know, valuable details often emerge through small discrepancies. During my visits, I found something rather intriguing: The majority of the injured from the four starships spoke highly of you. They claimed it was you who saved them... That you personally led the mech squadron in battle, repelling the Divine Clan's attack, storming damaged ships to rescue them. I must admit, it's quite a brave and commendable act. Yet, according to what you've just confirmed, Captain Jerome was dead when the battle began, and you were in command of the ship's defense and retreat. So how did you manage to be on the front lines, saving lives, while simultaneously commanding the ship?"
Reynolds replied, "The mech operation platform can be connected to the ship's command bridge. Even on the battlefield, I could remotely issue orders. Of course, that made interference more likely, but I had brave comrades protecting me at the time."
Hill's expression shifted to one of knowing anticipation. "I thought you'd say that. But how do you explain this?"
Russell Hill opened a holographic display, and a deep male voice echoed: "There was flashing everywhere, and the gunfire was relentless. I was terrified. An Ark insectoid was flying straight at me, its claws outstretched. Just as it was about to tear me apart, I saw a mech charge in, blowing the creature to bits. Then he said to me, 'Hey, don't worry, buddy. Captain Jerome sent us to rescue you...'"
Hill pressed a button, cutting off the voice.
His gaze toward Reynolds had grown cold and sharp. "How do you explain that, Commander Reynolds?"
Reynolds looked at Hill and, after a moment's pause, responded, "After Captain Jerome's death, with all senior officers qualified to command a starship gone, I automatically became Aphrodite's acting captain, according to Federation law. Since we were under attack by the Divine Clan, to maintain morale and ensure that the soldiers didn't fight in a state of despair and helplessness, I refrained from announcing Captain Jerome's death. Instead, I continued to issue orders under his name until the battle ended, at which point I revealed his fate. It's understandable that some people might have misunderstood and thought Captain Jerome was still alive. After the battle, the ship was critically damaged, and we were forced into immediate warp repairs, leaving no time to clarify matters with the crew."
Russell Hill raised a mocking thumb. "I must admit, you're quite sharp. To concoct such a lie, so well-fitted to the situation, in such a short time is no small feat. But as you said, the real problem is that your circumstances were far too urgent. After escaping the Divine Clan's pursuit, you found yourselves in a severely damaged starship, racing against time. The result was that you never had a chance to clean up the inconsistencies before you returned. You were in too much of a hurry, and that left too many cracks."
He chuckled darkly as he spoke, pulling out a small object.
It was a charred, blackened chip, no larger than a fingernail.
The moment Reynolds saw it, his expression finally changed.
"I believe you recognize this," Russell Hill said with a leisurely air. "An identity chip, something every Federation citizen possesses from birth. It records everything from birth to death—name, blood type, birthplace, medical history—every biological detail. It's also the means by which the New Federation government tracks each citizen and maintains records on almost every aspect of their lives. Later, it became embedded with work history, political affiliations, and more, thus documenting an individual's entire life."
Reynolds stared at the chip on the table.
For a long time.

He lifted his head and said to Russell Hill, "This can't be Captain Jerome's chip. He was hit by the Divine Clan's energy cannon, disintegrated down to atoms."

Russell Hill chuckled. "I never said this was Captain Jerome's chip. The chip belongs to Alec Colcott, the executive officer of the Aphrodite, rank: Major. As we know, all officers of Major rank and above were killed by the energy blast in the meeting room. If Captain Jerome's body could be reduced to atoms, the same should apply to everyone else. Yet, I still found this chip."

Hill's fingers drummed rhythmically on the chip. "Though the chip was damaged, we managed to recover some data from it."

He glanced at the spectacled female investigator standing beside him, whose face glowed with pride, clearly the one responsible for the recovery.

Leaning closer to Reynolds, Hill's smile took on a grotesque edge.

"Care to guess what we found?" he said, fixing Reynolds with a meaningful gaze. "His death record. It's the last entry on the chip. The data shows he didn't die from energy annihilation but from a penetrating head wound, with his skull shattered and severe damage to the brain and brainstem. Simply put..."

"He was shot in the head."