Traveler in the Dark

40

Leroux sobbed over Titov's bunk. With Spixworth and Stratton preceding him, Titov's room was empty now and was the logical spot for a makeshift infirmary. But it didn't help Alice's guilt. Neither did Leroux's noisy weeping. She angrily cranked the wrench as she began unbolting Spixworth's old bed. They had to make more room. "Should I call Dr. Cardiff?" she asked, trying not to snap at Leroux.

"No," said Leroux, clearing her throat. "I don't want to talk about it with her. Besides, she's intoxicated. She should stay put." She slid an arm over her face and tapped her feed to check on Cardiff's blood acidity. It had been a close thing, formic acid had already begun building in Dr. Cardiff by the time Issk'ath had shown them what happened to Titov. No infirmary meant no drugs, no tools, no easy treatments. Leroux had been limited to the pitiful emergency kits scattered through the Wolfinger and a dubious bottle of cosmic glug stashed in Captain Stratton's belongings. She still wasn't certain if Dr. Cardiff would lose her sight. She clicked off the feed and began loosening another bolt. They were quiet for a few moments. "He was a good chemist. He always followed protocol," Leroux muttered, "Always. Why didn't he check what it was first?"

"He probably thought it was water. Looked like water on the feed. I'm not even sure he had time to realize what it was before it ignited," said Alice. She bit the tip of her tongue. She hadn't meant for Titov to go like that, but she told herself it was too fast to be painful. And it saved her a great deal of trouble. The last bolt came free. Alice pulled on the bunk and it slid easily from the wall. Leroux helped her tilt it down and they guided it out into the corridor. They brought it to Blick who was rearranging the equipment lock's crowded storage.

Leroux stared vacantly at her for a moment. "But how did the container of methanol get a hole in it?" she asked.

"And why didn't the lab sensor trigger?" added Blick.

Alice's ribs seemed too tight. "Maybe he disabled it," she said, trying to sound casual. "You know he's done it before."

Blick shook his head. "That blanket was soaked. You saw the feed. That much methanol would have set off the alarm long before he walked into the lab."

"Maybe the sensor was faulty," called Martham from the hallway. She pushed past Alice into the lock and twisted off her suit's helmet. She glanced back toward the bridge and lowered her voice. "Maybe that thing shut it off."

"It was in here the whole time—"

"That doesn't mean it couldn't have, Lionel. It's got access to all of our systems, remember?"

"Sure," he whispered, his eyes flicking nervously toward the doorway, "but why would it? It couldn't have made the hole in the methanol. It wouldn't have known what would happen."

"Maybe it had help," whispered Martham.

Leroux shook her head. "From who? And why? Who'd agree to kill Titov?"

Martham raised an eyebrow. "You think the target was Titov? No, he was an accident. Who knew he was going to be in there?"

Blick crossed his arms. "I did. You want to make this about me?"

"You knew hours before that he'd be in there? And when?"

"No, about ten minutes before he went in."

"See? He was an accident."

"So who was the real target?" asked Leroux. "Dr. Cardiff?"

Alice let out a short laugh. "Who'd want to kill her? She's useless, but she doesn't exactly inspire raging passion."

Martham shook her head. "Not Cardiff either. Someone's been picking us off one by one—"

"Oh, give it a rest," said Blick, "You keep saying that but why would any of us do that? And how? The others were all accidents."