Shel

I paced back and forth behind the couch. Owen was never this late. And he didn't answer my call or Esther's.

"I'm going to go look for him," I said.

"I'm going with you." Esther said. She paced in front of the door.

"Is that really necessary?" Other Vai asked as he sat comfortably in a chair. "I'm sure he's fine."

I almost killed him then. I took a step towards him, but Minmin was suddenly in front of me. "I'll go too," she said.

"No," my mom said. "He just messaged me. He is on his way."

"See," Other Vai said. "No need to overreact."

Minmin grabbed my hand before I could advance on Other Vai.

"Esther," I said, "now that we know Owen is safe, go work on that project you were going to work on."

"Can I at least wait until he gets here?" she said. "I just want to see him. Make sure he is really safe."

I sat heavily on the couch. There was a knock at the door.

"Finally," Esther said. She opened the door, but it wasn't Owen it was Lieutenant Tanpo.

Esther stared at her clearly disappointed it wasn't Owen.

"May I come in?" the lieutenant asked after Esther didn't step aside.

"Oh. Of course," Esther moved.

"You aren't sparring yet?" Lieutenant Tanpo asked as she stepped inside.

"Yes. Finally." Other Vai stood to his full height. He picked up the chair to move it out of the way. Warpaint always by his side.

I grabbed the other chair while the Lieutenant and my mom moved the couch. Minmin moved the glass table. Esther remained in the open door frame and stared down the corridor.

A smile spread over her lips. "Owen." She took a step into the corridor and then her smile faded. "What happened to your forehead?" She pointed to a spot on her own forehead. Her mouth opened slightly in surprise and she didn't say anymore. She stayed in the hallway as Owen and his father walked into the room.

We all paused as one.

"Owen," my mom said carefully. "What's going on? How were you injured? And Mr. Morgan, what a - pleasant - surprise to see you here."

"The Corruption attacked me," Owen said completely disregarding his father's presence. "They dragged me into the maintenance shaft and tried to kill me. The first officer was one of them even though he wasn't on our list." He spoke quickly and without pause. My mom never looked away from Mr. Morgan. "I opened the light in my parents," Owen finished.

After a brief silence, Lieutenant Tanpo said, "I thought we were keeping the light and the Corruption secret for the safety of those around us?"

"How safe can they be when the Corruption can take over them at anytime because they weren't warned about them. And if they have the light the Corruption can't enter them at all," Owen said.

"But the Corruption will target them to kill them," my mom said. "Mr. Morgan, you are in danger now."

"Better to be at my son's side in danger than being safe while he is in danger. I'm not really happy that this was kept from me in the first place. I can understand the younger ones keeping it from me, but not you and not Lieutenant Commander Ma'amaloa. As parents, you should have told me and my wife."

My mom was unusually silent at this.

"There is a dead body in the maintenance shaft by my quarters that will need to be taken care of," Owen said. "The first officer got away, but he'll have a burn mark on his face now. I'm not sure how he will explain that one."

"I'll go get the body," Esther said.

"No," I said. She stopped by the door. "You need to get your project finished."

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"Right," she said.

"I'll go get it," Minmin said.

"What about our sparring?" Other Vai asked. "Is everyone going to just disappear and forget? I don't have the light anymore. Sparring is the one thing I can do to feel useful."

I stared at him.

"What?" he asked.

Of course he didn't know that we knew he killed K'thaktra.

"I've got to go to medical soon anyway," I said.

"Why?" Other Vai asked. "You were ready to train a few minutes ago."

"I thought I could get a little bit in before I had to go. And it's kind of an embarrassing matter. I'd rather not go into the why I need to go."

"I'll spar with you," Lieutenant Tanpo said.

"I'll stay too," Owen said.

My mom looked at Mr. Morgan. "Do you want to join in our training sessions."

"No," Mr. Morgan said. "I'd best get back. If those with the Corruption are watching, it might be better if I don't detract from my daily routine."

"And he can't hurt his hands," Owen said.

My mom nodded.

"And I'll be back soon with the body," Minmin said. "Warpaint can take care of it when I return."

Other Vai seemed satisfied enough by this. I left with Mr. Morgan and Minmin. They got off the elevator at deck 5. I continued up to medical. When I got inside I received a message from Minmin.

«The body is gone. The first officer must have come back for it.

The last few disappearances had not been announced. Surely those we killed with the Corruption and the K'thaktra that Other Vai killed were missed. Their disappearances were being kept quiet for a reason we didn't know yet.

"May I help you?" a Starwatcher female asked in the lobby of medical. She seemed extra small behind the large desk. The benches and chairs set around the room were empty.

I leaned over the desk and whispered, "I think I have a sodium deficiency." I connected my okulus briefly with the sign in so all my information would show up for her.

"Oh," she said. I was glad she didn't make it seem like a trivial matter. For most alien species it wouldn't be considered embarrassing, but most Bundu-Jo found it embarrassing. I didn't really care since it wasn't actually true, just an excuse to get inside to see the doctor.

She hopped down from her tall chair and took me into a small room. "Wait here," she said. "We're not busy at the moment so Commander Ragear should be in soon."

She left and closed the door behind her. I knew what I was looking for wouldn't be in this room, but I couldn't just wander around medical and take medicine. What I needed to kill Other Vai would be locked away.

It wasn't long before Dr. Rags entered. "Hello, Shel," he said. "It's been awhile since I've seen you."

"A few years," I said. He used to serve on my father's ship while the Shadow was still being retrofitted.

"You've gotten taller," he said in that way Dr.'s use to try to ease their patients. I usually found it condescending, but I smiled anyway. "You think you have a sodium deficiency? Let's take a look."

I was still as he scanned me and checked the readouts on his okulus.

"They might be a little low, but I don't see anything to be concerned about. As far as the readouts go, you are in good health."

I faked a smile of relief. "It doesn't seem like you are busy at the moment."

"No," Dr. Rags said. "Someone did come in not too long ago with burn marks, but we got that taken care of. Other than that, you are my only other patient for the day."

"That reflects well on the health of the crew," I said. "Doesn't give you much to do in the meantime though."

"I've been studying Brist anatomy and a few other alien species," Dr. Rags said. "Honestly, I always have something to do. My staff does get bored sometimes though. I heard you decided to graduate early. Have you decided on what you want to study?"

"I've been thinking pharmaceuticals," I lied.

Commander Ragear's eyes lit up. "Really? That's wonderful. Come here. Let me show you something." He stepped out of the room and waved for me to follow him.

He guided me to a locked door further into medical. He opened it and we stepped inside a room lined with glass cabinets filled with medicines. Commander Ragear always did have a tendency to be too trusting. It had got him into trouble in the past. I remembered my dad had lectured him a few times about it.

"I keep thinking we need to have a better system," Dr. Rags said. He leaned in close and whispered up to me, "We had a break in." Then in his normal voice he said, "That was a while ago though and nothing has happened since then. Any ideas for a better system?"

The room was small. More of a large closet. There wasn't a need for too much medicines anymore.

I turned around slowly looking at each cabinet. I pretended to be interested in the layout and the system, but really I was looking for euthanasia. I found it.

"Commander Ragear," a human male stood in the doorway.

"Yes, what is it?"

The human's eyes lingered on me for a moment. "That patient from earlier is back. You told him to return for a final treatment."

"Ah yes," Dr. Rags walked towards the door, paused and turned back towards me. "I'll be back momentarily. Think about the system."

I nodded.

"It's against the rules to leave him in there," the human male whispered to Dr. Rags.

"It's fine. He's the son of a captain."

I turned to the cabinet with the euthanasia and connected my okulus to it. I opened the hacking system and let it run through the numbers and letters until it found the right combination. The cabinet clicked open. In my hyper-aware state with my adrenaline pumping, I heard the footsteps as they approached further down the hallway. I quickly grabbed one small shot of euthanasia and closed the cabinet silently. I turned back towards the open doorway just as the human male walked back in. I hid the shot up my sleeve.

"I know Dr. Rags said it was okay for you to be in here, but it really is against the rules."

"I understand," I said. "Tell him if I think of a better way, I'll send him a message."

The human male nodded as I walked passed him and out into the corridor. I nodded to the little Starwatcher behind the desk.

"Have a good day," she called after me.

I waited until I was on the elevator before I sent a message to my mom, Lieutenant Tanpo, Owen, Minmin and Esther.

«I have it.

Esther immediately replied.

«I'm almost finished enhancing the disruptor.

I sent one last message.

«Then we kill Other Vai tonight.