On Point by J. Clifton Slater

Author:J. Clifton Slater [Slater, J. Clifton]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-12-10T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

It wasn’t too bad. The food was adequate, if a little cold. There was a cot in the corner with a thin mattress. However, compared to the rocky cave floor on the barren planet, the mattress felt like a feather bed. Plus, I had the cell to myself so the facilities were more or less private. My one complaint, I’d been in here for seven watch changes.

Lieutenant Commander Gnatia, I presumed, was off investigating the death of Ion Specialist Tassila. If not, his isolation tactic wasn’t getting the desired effect. I rolled over on the cot and went back to sleep. After the last few days, this was a mini R&R for me.

“On your feet, Lieutenant Piran,” a voice boomed. The sound bounced off the walls of the cell jarring me awake. Before I could shake off the drowsiness and swing my legs off the cot, the voice shouted again. “On your feet when a superior officer enters the room.”

I rolled over and opened one eye. Lieutenant Commander Gnatia stood in the doorway to the cell with a sneer on his face and his legs set wide apart. Both of his hands were curled into fists and pressed into his waist. He failed miserably at the superman pose.

“How was your day, Commander?” I asked as I sat up and stretched.

“Get on your feet, Lieutenant!”

“Is it lunch time already?” I asked while stretching one more time before standing. “When do we have our conversation about Specialist Tassila?”

“You mean about your co-conspirator,” he stated. “I know you killed her to keep your secret. And I know you are a double agent.”

The political officer was certainly taking his job and his conspiracy theories seriously. Before I could deny both charges, he called to the Marines stationed behind him.

“Take Piran to the interview room,” Gnatia ordered. “Don’t be gentle. He’s a murderer and a traitor.”

I locked my hands together at my belt buckle and took small steps towards the approaching Marines. This could get unpleasant quickly. When all was straightened out, I didn’t want the Marines to get jammed up because they mistreated a prisoner. Even if Gnatia hinted at his approval of abuse, I figured him for a weasel. The type of officer who would let the Marines take the fall if things went wrong. They gripped my upper arms tightly, but I remained relaxed.

A little jostling rocked me back and forth, but I supplied no resistance. Once satisfied I wouldn’t be a problem, the Marines led me out of the cell. I caught the look on Gnatia’s face. He wasn’t happy at the peaceful procession. To show his displeasure, he shoved me hard in the back. Fortunately for the Marines and me, my escorts had a firm grip on my arms. When I fell forward without tensing, they simply lifted me off the deck and kept us marching down the corridor.

***

They cuffed my ankles to the deck and my hands to the table. Once the Marines left the interview room, I glanced around.

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