Space Bunnies!

Chapter 33: Kai Is Busy

It had been three hours since Kai broke out and caused a minor inconvenience for the ship's staff. He was not handcuffed or mistreated by the crew, which was rather bold of them to allow him to maintain his dignity. He just had to endure the unfriendly glares of the security staff occasionally as he sat on the bench outside of the Captain's office. He was on deck one, and the bridge was on this deck along with several other compartments. He couldn't help but try to peek inside as the ship's staff floated around. But he could only catch the side of a bulkhead as they moved out. He nervously tapped his foot against the deck as the Captain made it his mission to keep Kai nervous. The intercom signaled. "I'm ready for you now." The words of a familiar man over speakers, followed by the hydrologic actuation of the door. Kai inhaled deeply, and he stood up and shuffled into the room sheepishly.

As soon as his heels were through the barrier, the door sealed itself shut as if the oxygen were actively being sucked out of the room. There in the center sat Yar at a light oak desk, behind him was a color and material matched shelf, that featured several souvenirs, no doubt collected from his time as a Dynamic Patrol Officer. He didn't have eyebrows, but Kai could already tell he was spiritually glaring. His flippers were on the desk, neatly placed over each other as if to signify being clasped together. His uniform was clean, a red one-piece long-sleeve top with a gold superimposed DP logo over his heart; directly on the other end was his name spelled out on a metal name tag seated on the garment; on his collar, he held four small silver bars it was identifying him as the Captain.. It was certainly a different approach from his spacesuit, much more... formal. "You've been busy," Yar said calmly. "Have a seat." An open chair was in front of the desk, and Kai complied. "Take a look at this. And tell me what it says." Yar ordered firmly. He pushed a tablet across the desk and rotated it so Kai could read.

With shaky breath, Kai read the passage. "A-article, 115-Alpha-3. Espionage against a dynamic patrol expeditionary vessel." Kai paused and then looked up at Yar. Yar gestured. There was more.

"112-Beta-4, Assaulting a security guard... 89-39-Subsection- 4... Triggering a door sensor to escape... Alpha-67-3, Manipulating the ship's internal sensors to generate false signals... Gamma-4-39... Attempting unauthorized access and gather information from the ship's computer system... Tango-99-subsection four... Evasion and resistance against the pursuing crew before surrendering." Kai finished. He pushed the tablet away as if it would make him sick. And Yar took it back, pulled it off the desk. And threw it into a drawer.

"I ought to throw your ass in the brig!" Yar snapped without warning. This caused Kai to tense up. "Assaulting my crewmen and snooping around my ship! What have I done to earn your mistrust and disrespect? What have my crew done? You know Bruce, the man you assaulted? He's in sickbay right now; he has a concussion!"

"I know... I'm sorry." Kai tried weakly, but Yar spoke over him. Kai, feeling the weight of Yar's anger, continued, "I never meant for things to escalate this far. It's just... I needed to find answers. There's something about this whole situation that doesn't add up, and I had to know the truth."

Yar's dark dot-style eyes narrowed, his flippers tightening slightly on the edge of the desk. "Truth? You think breaking into confidential areas and assaulting my crew is the way to find the truth?"

Kai sighed, a mix of regret and frustration evident on his face. "I get it looks bad. I can't trust unquestioningly, not after what happened to my brother. Our village burned to the ground and—"

Yar leaned back in his chair, studying Kai with a skeptical gaze. He interrupted him. "Your brother? Bodi, right? The one who believes we're here to help?"

Kai nodded, realizing that his brother's perspective might not have been as misguided as he initially thought.

Yar sighed, a hint of sympathy breaking through his stern demeanor. "Look, Kai, I'm not your enemy. But you can't go around causing chaos on my ship. We have protocols, laws—"

Kai interjected, "Laws? Your laws are not the same as mine, Captain. I come from a place where trust is earned, not blindly given!" Kai yelled. He found it incredibly offensive that he was to adhere to an organization that abandoned his planet in its time of need.

The Captain's expression did not soften at all— it got more angrier. "Watch your tone! I'm not one of your friends. Or your brother— you aren't going to talk to me anyway because you're angry!"

Kai shut his mouth swiftly, accepting the Captain's authority. The weight of the situation settled heavily on his shoulders as he realized the depth of the trouble he had caused.

Yar, maintaining a stern demeanor, continued, "Now, let's address these charges. You claim you needed to find answers. Well, Kai, there are proper channels for that. Breaking into secured areas and jeopardizing the safety of my crew isn't one of them."

Kai nodded, acknowledging the truth in Yar's words, though frustration still simmered within him. "I understand, Captain. I didn't know who I could trust, and time seemed to be running out... but I'll be good now. I promise."

Yar sighed, relenting slightly. "Time seemed to be running out." Yar repeated flabbergasted, "What the hell? We're in the middle of space, we have nothing but time! Look, I don't enjoy being deceived or having my ship disrupted; you're not leaving me much choice."

Kai took a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking. "Wait? Much choice for what?" He repeated, then blinked; oh god... the captain would put him in the brig after all. "You clearly need a psychiatric evaluation. I talked to your brother—"

"Wait? You think I'm crazy?!" Kai shouted again angrily, he shot up out of his chair and pounded his hands on the desk. Which did not phase Yar.

"Can you blame me? These are not the actions of someone in their right mind. Stress, your planet, everything has been destroying you from the inside out. You need professional help!" Yar's words hung in the air as Kai processed the implication. The captain was suggesting that he needed psychiatric evaluation, a notion that further fueled Kai's frustration.

"Crazy? I'm not crazy, Captain! I'm just trying to make sense of everything that's happened," Kai retorted, his voice a mix of defiance and desperation.

Yar leaned forward, his gaze unwavering. "I'm not saying you're crazy, Kai; your actions are erratic and dangerous. We can't have someone jeopardizing the safety and order of the ship. I'll confine you to medical until we reach Omeocoon or rendezvous with the Trinity."

Kai's eyes widened, a surge of panic coursing through him. "Confined? You can't be serious!"

Yar's expression remained firm. "I am serious. You need help, and we can't risk further disruptions on this ship. I'll make sure you get the assistance you need."

Feeling helpless, Kai slumped back in his chair, realizing the gravity of the situation. The captain was determined to take measures he disagreed with, and it seemed like his quest for answers had led him down a path he hadn't anticipated.

As Yar pressed a button on his desk, signaling for security, Kai couldn't shake the feeling that he was losing control, not just of his situation but of the narrative he had been desperately trying to piece together. The weight of uncertainty pressed heavily upon him, and he could only wonder what awaited him as the door to the captain's office opened again, security personnel ready to escort him to an uncertain fate.