(eng) P. K. Lentz by Interim

Author:Interim [Interim]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Martin Ascher felt like the walking dead. His mind seemed barely to function from lack of sleep, and when it did it was only to reflect upon his own dementia. If he continued to hear messages from this phantom voice urging him to commit treason, he decided, he would have no choice but to submit himself for medical review.

Currently he was on his way to the Hunter in the Dark’s medsuites on a task unrelated to his own mental health. He wasn’t keen on going back there, but an item on his duty schedule demanded it. Exiting the lift, he turned down the corridor and walked with bowed head toward his destination, guiding the loaded supply palette in front of him.

As he neared the medsuites, he sensed motion from behind and turned instinctively. Approaching with her hands bound, flanked by four Fleet guards and a medical staffer, was the woman whom Ascher couldn’t help but view as the source of his current troubles.

Now, instead of a medical gown, the woman that the mysterious ID badge in his locker identified by the unlikely name of ‘Hellene Hawthorne’ wore the bright red coveralls of a prisoner. Ascher paused at the medsuites’ entrance and yielded to the procession escorting her. He stared, maybe even gaped at ‘Hellene,’ unable to avert his heavy eyes as she approached.

It took his dazed mind several seconds to realize that she was staring back at him. The dark-haired woman’s eyes held not only the fear he’d witnessed earlier, but something else as well that filled Ascher with sudden shame.

She hated him. Hated him because he wore the same uniform as her captors.

When she passed, the prisoner’s gaze fixed on Ascher’s identity badge and her eyes went wide. Looking up squarely into Ascher’s face, she mouthed a desperate, silent plea in Commonwealth Standard.

“Help me!”

As the guards ushered her past, scarcely noting Ascher’s presence, she craned her head to keep wild eyes locked on him. The contact was broken only as she vanished into the medsuites.

Ascher stood dumbly through the whole encounter, and continued to do the same now that she had gone.

“Do you have business here?” This inquiry from one of the guards who’d remained outside the medsuites in the corridor snapped Ascher out of his trance.

“Yes,” Ascher managed to spit out.

“I suggest you get on with it.”

Ascher nodded and started forward, shoving the supply palette ahead of him. Once in the suite he looked around, but found no sign of Hellene.

“What’s this?” a tech asked.

“Supplies you requisitioned,” Ascher answered, still glancing around hopefully.

The tech gave him a confused frown and shook his head. “I don’t think we’re expecting anything.” He turned and started off. “I’ll double check.” He returned moments later with confirmation: there had been no such request.

An hour later, Ascher lay sleepless in his berth, staring at the image on Hellene Hawthorne’s ID badge. Was it a forgery, or was she really a Fleet ensign? What had been her crime? Ascher’s phantom tormentor insisted she was innocent.

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