"Welcome back, Doctor," Brooks said into the newly-oxygenated hangar.

Ten minutes ago, Y's shuttle had docked, sending out their pre-arranged signals that indicated all was well.

Brooks still hadn't let his guard down. Just because he'd given those signals did not mean all was truly well; he couldn't rule out that Y's memories had been extracted and read.

On that theory he did not let Y reconnect to the ship's computers until he'd had a dozen scanner drones go onto the ship and scan it and Y's body thoroughly, checking for signs of tampering or alteration.

They came back clean, and now Y walked out, reconnecting to the ship as he came.

"It is pleasant to be back," Y replied. He had not objected to the checks - they had not pried into his internals, only looking for superficial signs of invasion. Which, Brooks reasoned, would have to be enough.

Y paused. "My shell-copies successfully avoided Nor. I am pleased; thank you for that, Captain."

"Of course. Now, how did it go?" Brooks replied.

"It was a pleasant visit," Y replied simply, and began to walk past him.

"That's all? What happened?" Brooks asked, annoyed.

"Forgive me, Captain, I do not mean to be rude," Y said. "But I am late for something. Surely you recall Apollonia Nor's request for us to watch her film?"

Brooks felt guilty as he realized he had entirely forgotten about that. He had intended to go . . .

Though of course Apollonia had been quite busy with other tasks.

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He felt guilt over that, too. But putting her into such an incredibly boring task did have its benefits, and from Sulp and Kiseleva's reports, it seemed it had paid off. Still, he'd make sure to make it up to her later.

"That was delayed," Brooks told Y.

"Very well. I shall go now, then," Y said.

"Wait," Brooks said.

Y stopped. "Yes?"

"You just visited?" he asked.

"That is correct. We had a most pleasant conversation in a very pleasant location. That is all I can share, however. And before you ask more, Captain, I refuse to elaborate further."

Brooks was surprised more than anything at Y's bluntness.

But he realized he did not have any ground to stand on here, demanding more. He had pulled Y into this, and the doctor had selflessly helped. The debt was entirely unofficial and unsanctioned. He could not press rank, nor demand anything.

He took a deep breath, letting himself feel his emotions of anger and disappointment, and then banishing them away with reason.

"Very well," he said. "I understand. Thank you, Doctor, for your assistance in this matter."

"Think nothing of it," Y said. "You do not owe me anything, Captain." The machine began to turn back, then stopped. "Oh, there is one matter. I was instructed to give you this."

He held out a small box. Y had broken the seal, but inside was simply a small pill-like capsule.

"I have scanned it thoroughly, and it seems harmless, but I could not open it without breaking it. The note with it says that you would know how to open it."

Brooks studied it for a long time. "Thank you," he said, a hint of emotion seeping into his voice despite his efforts.

Y nodded and walked off, already moving his consciousness to another body, and sending this one on auto-pilot back to its recharging station.

Brooks went into an executive meeting room, turning it to private mode.

Bringing his cupped hand with the capsule close to his face, he breathed on it lightly.

The capsule responded. It was coded not just to warmth and DNA, but his carbon dioxide - a crucial detail most attempts at tampering would overlook. Who would, after all, hold something that could potentially be a bomb right up to their face?

The seams on the capsule glowed in recognition, then a small image appeared on its surface.

Despite the tiny size, it was a perfectly detailed image of Vermillion Dawn.

"Hello, Captain," she said. She had her slight, mysterious smile.

"I knew you would remember how to open this," she said. "There are things I must tell you, and this was the only way to bring them to you safely. We do not have much time . . ."