15 Chapter 15 :

Low Orbit, Maradisaè I, Moon, 3rd of March 2119.

UNS Adjudicator, Admiral's Office.

Time, 17:49

Admiral Brander Thraile

The Admiral sighed. He'd not expected it to be so hard to deny the Captain's claims, but the aliens could have all manner of chemicals to make them believe whatever they wanted. If they could, why couldn't the aliens, after all.

He quickly brough up the geological data they had recovered from the Science Officer's datapad. Looked it over, but was unable to make out any specifics about the alien's planet, or any of the nearby planets. So he sent it to his communications officer for Earth transfer. The comms would fire a miniature relative jump to shoot information at light speed through those closest points. It would take under an hour for the signal to get there, and for them to send any gained information back. If no specific orders showed up in a day, he would muster the fleet and head home.

I'd better go, he thought, the interrogation's gonna start soon. It wouldn't do to be late. He stood and left, his guards following him. It took him ten minutes to reach the brig's interrogation cell. He entered, leaving his guards outside. Inside, was a large, upright table, approximatly two meters in length and eighty centimeters wide. On it was strapped a young girl. Her delicate features made her beautiful in an unearthly way as she lay unconcious on the table. She was also unnaturally pale, almost white. Standing beside her was the interrogator, Mr. Hayle, he had all kinds of implements prepared that the Admiral hoped he wouldn't have to see used. He detested the sight and sounds of pain. A civilian investigator, a detective, stood in the corner. He was big, strong and very handsome. He looked rather awkward where he was, and kept glancing towards the other corner. Leaning in that corner, battered, bruised and sore, was Elysium. The Commander wore his uniform, but it was rough. His hair was wet and his face was unfathomable as he watched the detective. He nodded to Thraile as he entered.

Thaile returned his greeting in kind and walked over to the girl. He peered at her for a few seconds before turning to the interrogator.

"I thought the gas would have worn off by now?"

The interrogator answered in a rough scottish accent.

"Aye, me too, but it seems they're not as tough as you or me. At least that's what I can tell from her frame. To know for sure I'd have to get inside."

"Well hopefully that won't be necessary. Can you wake her?"

"Aye sir."

He headed over to his table and picked up a large hammer.

Thaile looked shocked, "Are you sure that's quite necessary?" he asked, taken aback.

"Nah, I just wanted to see your face is all." he answered, gruff laughter filling the room. He put the hammer down and picked up a syringe.

He looked at the girl closely for a minute, not using the needle.

"Why don't you wake her up?" asked Thraile impatient.

"Sir, I cannae change her flippin' species. I don't know where the primary veins are, I have to look closer to find 'em."

The Admiral fell silent, slightly abashed.

At last Hayle planted the syringe into the girl's arm and injected the greenish chemical.

The girl woke with a gasp. She immediatly began frantically looking around. When she noticed the people around her, she became still, eyes darting around.

"Utra e sole? Etra è solè?" They seemed to be questions.

She struggled against her bonds before going limp.

"Do you understand me?" asked Thraile slowly.

The girl just looked at him, then entered a pensive state. She twinged, as if in pain. The Admiral waited. She might be translating what he said.

Her eyes widened and she said tentatively, "Hello?"

Her accent was musical and light. But the word seemed strained though, as if it was too rough.

The Admiral nodded, "Hello." he answered.

The girl seemed releived. She pointed at herself as much as she could with her hand and said haltingly, "I... be... Ara."

Thraile pointed to himself, "I be Brander."

The detective chuckled. The Admiral ignored him.

"Hello." repeated Ara, flashing a brilliant smile. But it dissapeared immediatly thereafter as she clenched in pain.

"What did you do?" asked Thraile to the interrogator.

"Nothin', sir. I didn't do anythin'." he protested.

Ara stopped convulsing, she just lay there shuddering.

"Ë sef onsënë e fose maradisia?"

"We can't do anything for her unless we know what she's saying." exlaimed Thraile, "Elysium, any ideas?"

"Why are you looking at me, do I look like an alienologist."

"Xenologist." coughed the inspector.

Elysium gave him a death stare, "Shut it, Davidson."

"Anyone know anyone who might be able to help. A doctor? A Xenologist? I can get a doctor, but without knowlege of how they work there's probably very little he can do."

Elysium swung around, "Does anybody know a Xenologist?"

Davidson tentatively raised his hand, "I might know where to find one."

Thraile rounded on him, "Who? Where? Spit it out man!"

"Ok, ok. It was this guy I met back on the world. He lived just down the road and he spent his time looking at wierd alien shit. He didn't know I was..."

"I mean someone close! Some random wierd bloke you met back on Earth is irrelevant!"

Davidson cringed, shying away from the Admiral's wrath.

"Ë sef onsënë e fose Bentham?"

Thraile looked around.

"Did she just say Bentham?"

"Why?" asked Elysium, "Does that ring a bell to you?"

"It does to me." said Davidson, "I think he was one of my bro's apprentices at some point. Got assigned to a ship though. Can't remember which one."

"You dolt." said the Admiral "He was assigned to the New Horizon. He's one of the senior officers. It was one of the names I had to memorize."

"Shall I get him?" asked Elysium.

"Send one of my guards."

Elysium stepped over to the door and opened it. He muttered to one of the guards and stepped back inside. Closing and securing the door.

They stood in silence, Ara having clearly understood what was going on. She lay on the table, breathing heavily, flinching or twiching with increased frequency until it became almost permanent. None of them were quite sure what was going on, the only thing for certain is she was almost constantly feeling pain, with the occasionnal spikes driving through her body. It was very disconcerting.

However, twenty minutes later, the guard returned, Commander Magnler before him.

As soon as the engineer entered the room his eyes locked on to Ara and his hard gaze softened.

The Admiral, who'd worried about what he would do when he saw the alien relaxed. Then Ara screamed.

She experienced the most painful bout yet, convulsing in her restraints, unable to escape. The humans looked on, not knowing what pained her. Magnler, however, was not as passive. He lept forward, bypassing the interrogator. He grasped her hand and began whispering in a comforting tone to her, all the while pulling at her bonds.

"What did you do?!" he shouted at Hayle desperately.

Thraile was too distraught to act. The sound of the girl's screaming filled the room. Elysium had no such qualms. He stode forwards and grabbed the engineer around the waist, pulling him away. He had not the strength to resist. Ara's anguished shouts quieting down.

"Calm yourself man." said Elysium harshly.

"What did you do?!!!" he yelled, unrelenting in his attempts to escape.

"Nothing, as far as we know." muttered Thraile quietly. His voice was barely heard through Ara's moans.

"Ie alfasol... e oaïne..." she cried.

Magnler stopped struggling in Elysium's arms. He seemed to be frantically thinking.

"She's so pale..." he muttered.

Elysium tentatively loosened his hold.

The young man turned to the Commander.

"What is in that knockout gas?"

"Why the hell would I know that?"

"I don't know, you use them don't you?"

"Go ask the bloke who made them?"

"Fine." he turned to leave.

"Hey, stop. Where are you going?"

"To get a doctor."

"No, I'll send for one." he stepped back to the guards outside, "Get a doctor in here as fast as you can."

The guard nodded and ran off.

They stood in silence for just under 10 minutes. Ara was calm, if barely concious, other than her occasionnal spasms, but nothing as serious as before.

The guard came back, running and panting. Behind him, a lively doctor a bit out of breath. He came rushing in.

"What's the problem?" he asked.

"The alien's got spasms," said Elysium, "listen to the kid."

"Can you analyse her bloodstream. Tell me what chemicals are inside."

"Yes, of course." answered the doctor, a little stunned.

He went over to Ara and paused.

"What is it?" demanded Magnler impatiently.

"I don't know where any of it's main blood vessels are?"

"Tell him where you pricked her, Hayle." ordered Thraile.

He quickly moved over and pointed at the small red spot where he had stuck his needle.

The doctor then proceded to take a syringe and pull out a small globule of blood. He passed it under his medical scanner.

"Nothing particularly dangerous. I can't identify some cells, but they seem to be part of it's body. Every foreign agent is either knock out gas or the stimulant. I can't detect anything else."

"And what is in that knock out gas?"

"Small concentrations of different chemicals. A little dimethylheptylpyran, some chloroform and xylyl boromide. Nothing toxic unless ingested in very high quantities."

"Thank you doctor." said Thraile, looking at the young engineer.

The doctor nodded, then, sensing his services were no longer required, silently left.

Magnler was deep in thought. Thraile couldn't tell what he was thinking. But the good news was the aliens condition seemed to be improving, she was no longer screaming in pain, and seemed to have returned more to her earlier state. Although she seemed weak from prolonged pain. Slowly, color began to return to her skin, and her dim eyes brightened. She gasped slightly, as if in relief.

Magnler's shoulders slumped, he let out a sigh of relief.