Tassie had locked herself in the bridge. For hours now, Irric had been bringing her up to speed on his work. Absorbing the new information like a sponge, Tassie immediately threw herself into her work. She wasn’t certain that she wanted to be responsible for uncovering the chemical that had harmed Adrian so, but she had her orders. She’d had her chance to back out. Now that she’d seen the video, there was no turning back.
Throughout the entire day, she’d been hard at work. She and Irric continued trying to find ways to uncover the information they were looking for, only to come up blank. Nearly every file they uncovered was too corrupted to be of any use. While they now had those files on hand to peruse once they cracked the corruption, they were still miles away from doing so. For now, the documents they’d found were as good as useless.
Tassie drummed her fingers on the arm of her chair. Mulling over what they knew, she was struck by an idea. “Irric, is it possible we’ve been going about this all wrong?”
Irric raised his head and gave her a searching look. “What do you mean?”
“Well, we found what the chemical is called in their language, right?” Tassie started. “So far, all we’ve been doing is searching the corrupted terminals for it. What if we searched for the word in the non corrupted terminals in the other part of the facility?”
“The word clearly refers to whatever it is they did to Adrian. Why would they have any information on it elsewhere when everything related to Adrian is here?”
“You mentioned they did something similar to Reya. Perhaps there exists files related to that in the other terminals that reference the chemical used on Adrian.”
Irric’s eyes widened. “Of course! How come I didn’t see it sooner?”
“You were too focused on the restricted section to consider anything else,” Tassie pointed out. “Don’t worry, that’s what I’m here for,” she said impishly. “Can you give me access to the other terminals?”
“You’re going to have to wait for me to go get connected. Give me ten minutes.”
Tassie waited patiently for Irric to organize his equipment and make his way over to where he needed to be. When the call came in, she immediately picked up. “Do I have access?” she asked.
“Everything’s all set. I’ve got you hooked up, so you should be able to work remotely with their terminal.”
Tassie and Irric immediately searched for the word in the new database. To their surprise, they received exactly one result. After translating the document, Irric frowned at the result. “It’s mostly redacted,” he said, puzzled.
“Maybe they wanted to keep anything related to Adrian under wraps?”
“I’m not sure. There’s – hold on, there’s a word here I can’t translate.”
Tassie grew excited. “Let’s look for anything related to it!”
“Shouldn’t we learn what the word is first? It could be anything, for all we know.”
Tassie gave Irric a flat look. “It’s an unknown word in the only document referencing the chemical used on Adrian. It has to be relevant.” Not bothering to wait for Irric to reply, Tassie immediately began searching for the unknown word. Several more files appeared for her to view. “Told you so,” she said smugly as she shared her findings with Irric.
Splitting the work, they immediately began pouring over the documents. “I don’t understand what I’m looking at,” Irric said after some time. “This one here says it was used on Reya many times. Another one mentions refining it.”
“Reya mentioned that they doused her cuts in a neurotoxin,” Tassie said gravely. “Could it be possible that this word relates to that particular chemical used?”
“Let’s search a little bit longer.”
The pair continued their research until finally Tassie made a breakthrough. In front of her was an incredibly complex chemical compound. “Irric, I found something,” she breathed. “I’ve only got a picture of the chemical and nothing else. But the word we were searching for is the title of the document and is right above the chemical. I think I found what they used on Reya.”
“How do we know that’s the right one?” Irric asked. “It’s not like we can test it on anybody.”
“By all accounts, everything we’ve found here indicates that’s what it is. I think it’s safe to assume that what we’ve found is what we were looking for.”
Tassie immediately began preparing a report outlining their discoveries and assumptions. When she was almost complete, she heard Irric gasp. Her head whipped towards the part of the screen that he was displayed on. “What did you find?” she asked.
“I found it,” Irric breathed. “I found the final chemical compound used on Reya.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“Because attached to the document is the final video file of Reya’s torture, right before you guys found her.”
“Holy shit,” Tassie swore. “Show me the chemical.” Irric sent it over to her for her to see. What she saw in front of her made no sense. Tassie was no chemist, but the chemical displayed on her screen was impossibly complex, far more so than the previous chemical Tassie had found. “What are we even looking at?”
“Pain,” Irric said grimly. “We’re looking at pain, if Reya and Adrian’s videos are anything to go by.”
“What do we do now? We can’t show this to anybody. What if they try to recreate it?”
“We have no choice but to pass it along to the Tribunal. This is literally what we were ordered to find.”
“No, Irric. We were ordered to find out more about the substance used on Adrian, not on Reya. Do we have to release this information, knowing that the chemical is designed to cause pain and nothing else?”
“If the Tribunal finds out we hid this from them, we’re both fucked,” Irric said. “We can’t afford to keep this a secret. They’re going to learn about it one way or another. I’d rather our reports attempt to influence their decision on what to do about it. I can’t imagine anybody would want this to be leaked, not after witnessing what it does.”
Tassie was torn. “I don’t want to do this,” she said quietly. “I don’t want to be responsible for unleashing this information.” Adrian’s screams still echoed in her head. Memories of the video flashed in her mind as she thought about the consequences of showing their findings to the Tribunal.
“We’re not responsible,” Irric replied. “The gru’ul are the ones responsible for it. We’re making sure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.”
“Fine,” Tassie said glumly. “But I’m telling Reya and Adrian what we’ve found.”
“Are you sure that’s a wise idea?”
“They deserve to know.”
Irric nodded slowly. “You’re right. I can’t imagine that they’re going to take it very well, though. They might even blame us.”
“Only time will tell,” Tassie grimaced. She was not looking forward to breaking this news to them. Not after what she’d shown them the day before. The videos were one thing. Knowing that the chemical that did that to them had been discovered was another. Typing away at her keyboard, she finished her report and sent it off to Irric. “I’m done for today, I think. I’ll leave the rest to you. It’s time for me to go talk to Reya and Adrian.”
Ending the call, Tassie let out a long sigh and forced herself to get up. Making her way off of the ship, she hunted for Reya and Adrian. After patrolling the perimeter, Tassie was told that they were out back near the fire pit.
It was well past dinner time, and the sun was setting, painting the sky in vibrant hues of pink, red and orange. Tassie had been so absorbed in her work she’d forgotten to eat. Rounding the back porch, she spotted the couple starting a fire. A small flame was being nurtured, steadily growing into something more.
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Reya looked up from her work and waved Tassie over. Nervously, she approached. “Tassie!” Reya said happily. “I’ve been looking for you. I’ve got news for you. I wanted to be the one to tell you first before you heard it from anybody else.” Adrian stood behind Reya and placed a hand on the small of her back.
“I’ve also got news for you guys,” Tassie forced out.
“Really?” Reya asked curiously. “What is it?”
“No, it’s fine.” Tassie swallowed nervously. “You go first.”
“Well,” Reya started excitedly. She shared a warm look with Adrian before reaching for his hand. Looking back towards Tassie, she continued, “Adrian and I have decided to start a relationship together!”
Tassie’s mind blanked. She looked between Reya and Adrian and saw the infatuation in their gazes. She paused and saw that she was wrong with her initial assessment. There was something more, something deeper, when they stared at each other.
The new couple waited anxiously for Tassie to say something. “I’m happy for both of you,” she stammered. “When did this happen?”
“Today,” Adrian said with a smile. “It’s pretty new.”
“Thank you for telling me,” Tassie said. Her heart wasn’t fully into it and Reya picked up on it.
“Tassie, is there something wrong?” Reya asked nervously. While Rann had been accepting of her newfound relationship, Tassie’s reaction wasn’t what she’d been expecting. The congratulations felt like a hollow gesture.
“No!” Tassie said quickly. “It’s nothing.”
“If you say so,” Reya said, unconvinced. “That reminds me, what was your news?” The guilt on Tassie’s face confused Reya. “Tassie?” Reya asked with growing concern. “What’s wrong?”
“It can wait,” Tassie replied. “I’d rather not ruin the happy moment.”
“If there’s anything wrong, you can tell us,” Reya said reassuringly.
“You don’t get it.”
“It’s related to the videos, isn’t it?” Adrian deduced astutely. “You found something else.” Reya snapped to attention. Tassie’s guilt only grew as she warred with whether or not she should reveal her findings to the pair.
“Yes,” Tassie said gravely, honesty winning out. “It’s not pleasant. I don’t want to take away from your news.”
“Tell us,” Reya said firmly, with steel in her voice. “I want to know. What did you find?” Tassie hesitated, still refusing to speak about it. “Tell us,” Reya repeated in a tone that brooked no disobedience.
“Fine,” Tassie said glumly. “We found the chemicals used on you during your time in captivity. Not just a reference, but the actual chemical compounds. Irric and I believe that it’s what they doused your scars with.” Reya and Adrian’s jaws dropped. Tassie braced herself for what she was going to say next. “We also believe we found the chemical they used on you at the end. In the video you don’t want me to see,” she clarified.
Reya’s breath hitched and her grip on Adrian’s hand became vice-like. For a moment, she said nothing. Nor did she breathe or blink. “No,” she whispered, her face paling rapidly. She looked at Tassie with pleading eyes. “Please tell me it isn’t true,” Reya said shakily, quivering.
“We think so,” Tassie said gravely. “I know this is hard for you to accept but –”
Reya barked a broken laugh, interrupting Tassie before she could finish. “Lies,” Reya said hysterically. “It’s a lie, right?” Reya’s wild eyes looked at Tassie for confirmation. When Tassie looked away, Reya’s face fell, the disbelief settling in. She let go of Adrian and brought her hands to her face. Tears welled in her eyes. “Oh gods, it’s true isn’t it? It’s out there. Somebody knows. They can do it again.”
Reya’s hollow expression concerned Adrian, and he moved to collect her in a hug. Reya let herself be collected in his arms, not even noticing he was there. “Did you find the chemical used on me?” he asked as Reya trembled.
“No, we weren’t able to,” Tassie said. “The data in your files is too corrupted for us to properly extract information from it. What little we do find is usually redacted on top of that,” she revealed.
“You’re still searching?” Adrian asked darkly. “What are you hoping to find?”
“We want to know what they were hiding and maybe find the reason you were abducted. I was also ordered by the Tribunal to search for anything related to the chemical compound used on you in the experiment we saw.”
“Nothing good is going to come from that,” Adrian warned. Reya sobbed into his chest as he stroked her hair reassuringly. “Mark my words. Learning anything about that substance is the wrong move. This will come back to bite you in the ass. Hard.”
“I know, but I have no choice. If it’s not me, it’s going to be somebody else. The Tribunal won’t stop until they get what they want.”
“No!” Reya hiccupped. “You can’t learn more about it. But you already have. And it’s already here. I’ll listen, please. I’ll listen,” she said nonsensically, panicking. Abruptly, she pushed herself from Adrian’s chest, hyperventilating. “I can’t,” she cried. “I can’t be here anymore.”
“Reya –” Tassie started.
“I can’t!” Reya shouted, her voice cracking. She looked around in desperation, spotting the forest. Tears spilled from her eyes as she dashed towards the tree line. Tassie shouted after her, but it fell on deaf ears. Reya slipped into the forest and disappeared.
“What do we do?” Tassie asked, worried. It was going to be dark soon, making finding Reya a difficult affair. Not to mention risky. She had no flair gun with her to signal for help. Not even so much as a flashlight to find her way back. Tassie instinctively knew that she was going to get lost. Maybe even hurt herself.
“It’s fine,” Adrian said reassuringly, eyeing the direction in which she went. “I know where she’s going. I’ll be able to find her.” There was no doubt in his mind that Reya was escaping towards their special spot. She would follow the trail in the dimming light and then wait there for him to come get her.
“How do you know?” Tassie asked.
“Call it an educated guess. I think I know Reya well enough by now to know where she’s going.”
Tassie cocked a brow. “You sound pretty certain.” Reya and Adrian had only known each other for a few months. Tassie doubted that was enough time for Adrian to learn that much about Reya, despite the exorbitant amount of time they spend together.
“I am,” Adrian said confidently without a shred of doubt.
“What about if something happens to her before you find her? How will you be able to signal for help? Are you going to be able to treat her if she’s injured?” Tassie questioned relentlessly. “We need to organize a rescue team. She can’t stay out there alone at this time of night. It’s one thing when she’s with you. But as it stands, anything could happen to her without our knowledge. I already lost her once, I refuse to do so again.”
“Give me the flare gun then,” Adrian said. “That way I can signal you if ever anything goes wrong.”
“You know I can’t do that! Jyn will kill me if I do.”
“This counts as an emergency, doesn’t it?”
“Let me come with you,” Tassie insisted. “I can hold the flare gun, and you can lead the way.”
Adrian shook his head. “This isn’t something she’s going to be able to talk about with you present.” He knew how painful it was, reliving memories of the experiments performed on him. Tassie, bless her soul, would never. What Reya needed was someone she could openly talk to. Someone who would understand her. Adrian knew that in this instance it was him that had to be there for it.
“How are you going to find your way back?”
“There’s no chance I can’t find my way back. I know this part of the mountain very well. You don’t. You’re more liable to trip and hurt yourself in the dark than I am. I know where all the pitfalls, rocks, and roots are. Tassie, I’ll be fine alone. Can you trust me? Just this once?”
Tassie was torn. She knew she shouldn’t disobey Jyn’s orders. Frankly, she didn’t trust Adrian enough to let him near a weapon. He was right, however. She would only be a liability. And if she went alone, she would never be able to find Reya. “Fine,” she said finally. “But don’t tell Jyn.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it. I’ll store the gun in the shed when we get back.”
“How long will you be gone for?”
Adrian thought for a moment. “If we’re not back in two hours, then you can come looking for us. It’s going to take a little bit to actually get to where Reya is. Bringing her back in the dark is going to be slow going. I want her to be safe, so I always bring us back slowly if it’s dark out.”
“If you’re not back in two hours I’m going to call a search party,” Tassie said seriously.
“Is there any way I can contact you to let you know we’re safe? I know you have comms. Could you give me one? It would help immensely if ever anything does happen. I’ll be able to fill you in on the situation as you come rescue us. That way if we’re injured, Kell can be better prepared.”
“I don’t want you to have access to our gear, but in this case I’ll make an exception,” Tassie said. “Wait here while I go get something for you.” She ran to the ship and went to the armory. Using her comms, she pinged Rann and asked for permission, filling her in on what was transpiring. Permission received, Tassie found a portable comm for Adrian to use. It was a small disk that would attach itself to his clothes. Putting a finger in the middle would activate the device. She set it to automatically contact her in case anything happened, knowing that Adrian wouldn’t know how to adjust the settings, let alone how to send a call to a specific person. There was simply no time to properly teach him.
Tassie returned to the fire pit and found Rann next to Adrian, the two of them discussing the matter at hand. In Rann’s hand was a flare gun and belt. She was showing Adrian how to use it one more time. While Adrian didn’t need to be reminded, he appreciated the lesson on the off chance there was something he forgot. Not that operating the flare gun was complicated, but he was better safe than sorry.
“I think by now I trust you enough to put Reya’s best interest first. That includes using the gun responsibly,” Rann said. “I know Jyn is going to freak out if ever he finds out about this, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. Reya is more important right now.” She handed the gun to Adrian. For the first time, he held it in his hands. Turning it over, he inspected it. “Make sure she comes home safe,” Rann intoned gravely.
Adrian stopped his inspection and looked Rann in the eyes. “Always,” he said wholeheartedly. “I wouldn’t be able to bear anything happening to her.” He slung the belt around his waist and clasped it tight. Putting the gun in its holster securely, he looked towards the direction Reya had run off in. “I think enough time’s passed now. It’s getting dark. I’d better get going.”
Tassie stopped him before he left and gave him one of their comms, instructing him on how to use it. “Please let me know when you find her. I don’t care how long it takes, just tell us. Please,” she pleaded. Adrian nodded and with that he was off. The girls watched his figure disappear into the forest, filled with apprehension.
Rann placed a hand on Tassie’s shoulder. “He’ll be fine, I’m sure of it,” she said with far more confidence than she felt. All she could do was trust in Adrian. It was time to see if Reya’s claims about Adrian were well-founded. Time would tell. Rann hoped dearly that Reya was right.