Star Law: A Marshal Cole Series

Chapter 19 (d)

Marshal Cole was explaining his theory of Chen's murder to Tilston-Horn when the older man's brow creased. It didn't go unnoticed. "What is it?" asked Cole.

"It's a whistling or ringing sound," replied Horn. He frowned and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "This happened once before to me on assignment on the planet Casperia..."

Horn's voice trailed away as ship alarms started to go off. An automatic messaging system voice came on. "Please remain calm and stay in your cabins or in designated areas till further notice. If you are outside your cabin, please follow illuminated lights to designated areas..."

More of the message droned on but the gist of it was that the ship was being sealed. No evacuation notice had been given. Yet. Cole looked at the screen detailing the floor plan and saw that pressure doors were being lowered even now at either end of the corridor outside the cabin.

"The ship is being sectioned off," said Cole. "That usually opens happens in a fire or breach situation."

"I don't hear any fire warnings," Horn said, still wincing in visible pain. "Perhaps it has to do with this high pitched sound."

"What sound?" questioned Cole. Before he could say another thing, his comm began to beep. He put the message up on the wall screen. It was Captain Cutler.

"Marshal, Volks has issued a lockdown over this shipwide attack which seems to originate from the Central Plaza and radiates outward," said Cutler. "It barely registers here on the bridge but down on the Promenade it 's terrible."

Cole looked at Horn who nodded. "We're experiencing it here too. Is the ship in danger?"

"I was going to ask you that," said Cutler bluntly.

"I have a theory but it will have to wait till the lockdown is over," said Cole.

Cutler looked doubtful. "Whatever it is, it is up to Volks now. Captain, out."

Cole sat down next to the already seated Horn. The alarm had been dialed down in volume but an emergency light still flashed on the ceiling.

"Not a lot of faith in Volks?" asked Horn.

"We've had our problems," said Cole. "Wish we knew what we were dealing with. You said you may have experienced this before?"

Horn rubbed his brow. "Yes, on Casperia. My crew and I came across plant-life that seemed to have a psi defence mechanism. Our navigator tripped and fell and broke off a branch of a shrub. What projected out of that shrub was a psi blast similar to what we're experiencing now."

"Wow, what happened?" questioned Cole.

"We would have all surely died," answered Horn. "But our XO was unaffected and pulled us all to safety."

"I'm not affected," said Cole. "Or not as of yet anyway."

"I noticed," replied Horn dryly.

"It is interesting that you said that the plant used psi as a defense mechanism."

Horn arched an eyebrow in amusement. "You don't think there is a big plant in Central Plaza?"

"No, I don't," said Cole with a smirk. "But this psi blast feels like a desperate defense response."

Horn's eyes widened and he opened his mouth and closed it. "The ringing has stopped."

Cole had a sinking feeling. "I think it was Volks."

There was a look of relief on Horn's face. "If it was, I owe him thanks."