Star Law: A Marshal Cole Series

Chapter 23 (d)

Cole stood up. He looked around but the voice had seemed to come from every direction. "Hello?" he called out. There was no answer to his query so he figured he'd engage in casual conversation. "There are water storage tanks all over the ship. Part of the raw materials used to nanufacture everything needed for space travel. Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen and Nitrogen (CHON) form basically everything. That and other raw material fills the holds here in the cargo section."

"Yes, I've seen raw material sections down here," the voice replied. "This tank is different though."

It was impossible to determine the direction of the girl's voice as it was apparent it was coming through speakers throughout the hold. Still, instinct guided Cole. He began slowly walking forward.

"You're right," Cole began. "This tank had saltwater in it at some point and probably quite a selection of sea life, fish and plankton. Some of it would be used for food aboard ship but a lot of it is used to seed planets with life from Earth."

"I see," said the voice. Changing the subject she queried: "How do you know which direction to walk?"

Cole stopped. The lights continued to follow him wherever he moved. It made for easy tracking. "I don't know. A gut feeling. You do want me to find you, yes?"

"You may have more psi ability in you than you thought," said the voice.

Cole chuckled at that. "I have nothing of the sort. It is process of elimination, deduction, experience and reasoning.""You said gut feeling as well."

"Instinct or gut feeling – same thing," said Cole."I've got no special abilities such as being able to call out to someone with their mind."

"You do have abilities to hear though," replied the voice. Cole had nothing to say to that. He kept slowly walking toward where he thought the girl was. The blackness of the room still offered no clue. "My hearing my abilities are not in question."

"I meant in your mind," the girl said.

"If you say so," allowed Cole. He decided to be more direct. "I'm not even sure what to call you aside from a name that was dropped off by an anonymous source."

There was a pause and Cole sensed the girl bristled at this. "Someone on this ship gave you my name?"

"Yes. And other information."

"And what is my name?" the girl asked, her voice seething below the surface.

"It says: Orion Ruskovich, born on Earth and that today is your birthday," said Cole reading from memory. "Today is your 13th birthday. Happy birthday."

Cole stood very still. He believed the girl was very close. Something deep down said she was right in front of him. He peered into the darkness and saw nothing, heard nothing but his certainty that she was there convinced him to wait till she revealed herself. His patience was rewarded when lights began to turn on from left to right.

Not more than five meters in front of him stood a young girl with blonde hair. To her left, oddly enough, was a chair. Cole resisted the impulse to move forward. He suspected that it wasn't quite as simple as taking into her custody and questioning at his leisure."It is my birthday. Thank you."

"You're welcome," replied Cole. "It is unfortunate it is not under better circumstances."

"You finally found me," said the girl.

"I think more accurately I was led here," Cole replied.

A light switched on next to the Marshal. It shone down on a chair that had been previously been enveloped in darkness. It sat immediately opposite the other chair.

"My name is Orion Ruskovich. I do come from Earth and I am 13," said the girl. "I doubt any other information that you've been given is correct though."

Without waiting for a response, Orion walked over and sat down in the chair next to her. She looked on expectantly at Cole and then at the chair opposite.

"I think I know why you chose this hold to meet,"said Cole.

"You do?" asked Orion.

"Yes," replied Cole. "I already know that it blocks both comms and sensors and has no surveillance. But it also has this..."

Cole took a step forward which Orion watched without the least bit of fear or surprise. Reaching out with one hand, he pressed against a transparent barrier. His other hand came up and flattened against it as well.

"I think it was an observation area," said Orion.

"That's correct," said Cole. "This plasglass is strong enough to hold back the water pressure that would normally be on this side of the hold. I doubt firing a gun at it would have any effect."

Orion smiled. "I hope you understand that I've difficulty trusting."

Cole stepped back and moved over to the chair. He swept aside the back of his long coat and sat down. "You've gone to a lot of trouble to call me here. But here I am. Tell me how it is a 13 year old stowaway is at the center of murder and mayhem aboard a passenger liner."