Cyber Witch

Chapter 7 - Not a Threat, but a Consequence

[Darius]

I threw the half-full crystal tumbler against the bulkhead, shattering it into shards, and creating a viscous, caramel-colored smear that sloughed down the white wall to the deck.

"Idiots!" I blurted out to the otherwise unoccupied lounge aboard my corporate starship.

"Sir?" Cerese said, poking her pretty red-haired head through the hatch. I had chosen her as my personal assistant because of her attractive body and subservient nature. Being relatively short and not so trim, I relied on power and wealth to attract the amorous attention I desired, although infrequent. She stepped in, and her eyes widened upon notice of the shattered glass.

"Clean up this mess, Cerese."

"But sir, the board is ready for you."

"Then, get out." I ordered with a dismissive wave.

I did not look forward to this meeting. Standing within a red circle at the lounge center, I straightened by black suit coat and cleared my throat. "Activate."

The Board of Directors appeared as eight holographic seated figures surrounding me. Because of the long distance and bandwidth limitations of the long-range coms, the images periodically blurred and pixelated. Every director wore characteristic disdainful expressions, and I wondered if they ever smiled.

One director was notably missing: Anastasia Whitehall, the old crone that so often opposed me. Certain unsavory business associations became publicly known, prompting her resignation. Wealth insulated us from most controversy, but even I knew human trafficking was too dark a stain to cover up. I had no doubt that Pheonix was behind the mysterious disclosure.

"Well, Dr. Welde?" said Augustus Windsor, the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, as he lifted a thin gray eyebrow.

I bit back a scathing reply, since they already had my preliminary report, instead repeating, "A small group of Red Caste members boarded the Coronis Station under false pretenses, posing as cyber security auditors in a stolen company shuttle. While at the station, they did considerable damage to research data systems. Three of them died and one was captured, but two escaped."

Another board member, a white-haired man with a bushy mustache, sneered, "My sources tell me you ordered the audit, Dr. Welde."

Hands behind my back, fingernails pressed into my palms as anger simmered within at the accusation, but otherwise I appeared calm. "In no way, director, did I approve of anything such. Your information is false, sir."

"How was it they accessed and destroyed our most secure research data system?" a female voice asked.

"Investigations are underway, but apparently one saboteur was an Aberrant named Avia, who created false credentials and access the database. She is listed on the Federation wanted list."

"And I understand your nephew Zachery was involved. Can we trust you with this investigation?"

My cheeks burned. I had protected Zachery thus far, but no longer. "My primary loyalty is to the corporation, ma'am. He will answer for his crimes, I assure you."

"What of the research data, Dr. Welde?" Augustus asked, guiding discussion to the main issue. "According to your report, the primary and both backup systems were compromised."

"Yes, sir. I won't bore you with the details, but there are ways to retrieve lost data. This is merely a temporary setback."

"I hope so, for your sake," he threatened. "In the absence of a favorable outcome, you will be terminated. Am I clear, Dr. Welde?"