Children Of Gaia

Chapter 6: Trust No One

"You even masked your breathing, impressive." On her knees and with an open panel before her, Lt. Croxen felt the cold barrel of an Officer's sidearm parting the hair at the back of her neck.

"Now what's an ADC doing messing around outside the reactor chamber?" asked the man. "Place your hands on the back of your head, interlock your fingers and stand up, slowly." The voice was calm almost cold within an air of mystery. Croxen complied with the directive, her blade and sidearm were removed from her belt and thrown across the floor, she turned slowly to face her captor.

"Captain Yamada." She smiled as if greeting an old friend. "You'll have to teach me how you stalk so well," she giggled.

"Silence!" Yamada barked, he narrowed his eyes, "I'm sure you'd know the penalty for sabotage is execution. But I am curious as to how you knew which relay was behind that panel?"

"Tell me, Captain, are you loyal to the High Council, to your Colonel and the Mandates themselves?" asked Croxen in a calm voice.

"Of course I am! Why else would I stop you from destroying the ship?" he scoffed.

"I'm afraid you have it backwards. The Major wants this ship and he's going to kill anyone he needs to in order to get it. He spent years finding men he could trust. He has no intention of returning to Gaia, nor could he give two shits about the Titan's Mandates. This is it, we found a viable world and he intends to claim it for himself," Croxen explained desperately.

Captain Yamada pondered Croxen's words. He was a brilliant man with a keen intellect and something had occurred to him, how could a 1st Class Lieutenant have access to a Titan's self-destruct code? Only the rank of Colonel or Major should possess such knowledge. "So you'd destroy the Hyperion, along with yourself and all onboard just to prevent a mutiny?"

"Yes," she admitted coldly, "such is my sole purpose. I'm here under direct order of the Council, my life is void, I must stop Sova from taking this ship and I'm ordered to destroy it if I have to."

Captain Yamada gasped, his face expanded as he came to the realisation. "You're an Inquisitor aren't you?"

Croxen winked. "If I was, do you think I would just tell anyone that asked me? Mind you I must be good at my job considering you're the only one so far," she laughed.

Captain Yamada narrowed his eyes. "If it really is true, then you will know my PIN," he said bluntly, "Gaia said as much."

Croxen turned her face as she thought, "let's see, hmmm, Yamada, Yamada." Captain Yamada looked to be losing patience. "Sorry, I had to memorise them for all officers on board," she smiled. "Ah yes, 45539234, Captain Yuji Yamada, son of-."

"I see, this explains a lot, but I can't just let you destroy the ship. The Colonel must be informed," Yamada unknowingly cut her off as soon as he was certain she gave the correct code.

"It's too late, the mutiny has already begun. As we speak the Major is heading to the Colonel's quarters. What's more, he knows who he can trust, I know you were personally selected by the Colonel for this expedition so Sova's men will be looking for you too," she explained.

"To be eliminated most likely," he said softly.

"I'd say so, otherwise he would have approached you already to try and corrupt you," she explained. "My guess is he was at least smart enough to recognise how loyal you are Captain," Croxen added. Captain Yamada moved Croxen away from the panel. He took the plasma cutter from his belt and re-sealed the panel. "What will you do now?" she asked.

"I know my unit is loyal to me and I have friends on board who won't take part in this madness, I have to find them and hopefully we can flee the ship," answered Yamada, desperation had crept into his voice.