The Girl in the Tank: Galactic Consortium, Season 1

Episode Four: Spies, ch. 9

Runningbear slipped into the rear bay unseen. It was currently empty. He crept cautiously from bay to bay. About halfway back he found it. The sign hung over it, someone had even conveniently added English "caution - maintenance."

He hadn't told Hornbeck or the others about Bankim's hint. They might have the knife they found, but this discovery was his and his alone. He'd find out what was on the upper level and expose these newcomers once and for all. All he had to do was get there.

It was an emergency hatch. He inspected it for a moment and then grasped one of the pieces and tried to move it. He shoved and shoved with no effect and then reversed directions and it gave with a groan.

Behind the hatch the passage was round and he had to crawl to get through. At the end of the tunnel it turned up and he climbed a ladder. Guessing from the length of the climb he must be on the secret third level now.

There was another hatch at top. It opened into a largish room. Instruments and tools that he couldn't name or identify lined the shelves at the back of the room, to his left. To his right was a large open space with two doors. The outer door of the airlock was shut, but he could see the inky black of space and the corner of the moon through a window in it. The inner doors stood open. There was a control panel and he went to look at it.

A hand came down on his shoulder.

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"Oh my god, the tank's empty," Kleppie said to Lana as he stepped inside the medi-bay. He was suppose to be in class, but lunch hadn't set well. He'd said he felt sick. Dan had suggested he see a healer, but Kleppie already knew what caused his queasy belly.

"I'm over here," Cheyenne chided him.

Kleppie started and then looked over at the far corner. Cheyenne was sitting on a low couch, her face still covered in black dressings and goggles over her eyes. She was wearing a white shirt and pants, skeletal feet sticking out from underneath.

"Ma'am," Kleppie said, coming to attention.

"At ease," she said, "I'm on medical leave. No need for that."

"Yes, Ma'am," he said.

She gestured him over to another couch nearby. "Janda," she said as Kleppie found a seat. "I can't believe I am saying this, but can my artificial legs get cold?"

Janda chuckled. "Of course, they have nerve endings. Here are some slippers."

Kleppie watched as she put the slippers over the robotic feet and then he began, "Officer Walker, Ma'am." She gave him a look but he felt better addressing her more formally for now. "I've gotten myself into a situation and I need to talk to someone."

She sat and listened. He knew she would, that was why he came to her. He told her slowly about the men, their supposed contact within military intelligence, and then Kavi's innocent gift, all of it.

When he was done she thought for awhile and said, "let's put aside the question of whether or not Hornbeck really has a contact in military intelligence and the notion that they will give you a position after this over, though I wouldn't bet on either. What does your gut tell you? Do you think this is the right thing?"

"No, Ma'am." It was barely a whisper. "When I think of betraying Kavi's trust, I feel worse than the worst radiation sickness."

"Then you know what to do," she said.

"But these guys... they'll be pissed."

"So what? You're better than them, Kleppie."

He nodded, relief flooding him. "Should I go to command?"

She shrugged. "You've talked to me. Though I guess I'm on leave, so Dan would be your acting superior. I can talk to him if you want. But I don't think Captain Lannister wants to get people in trouble over stuff this. He's just worried that people are going to create problems, you know."

Kleppie nodded. "Okay, don't worry. I'll talk to Dan, see what he wants to do. And, thanks for listening."

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Bankim smiled as he entered the rear bay. Even from here he could see the hatch opened. He hefted his stun baton. I'll bet it's that oaf that threatened the healer. He was sitting right there when I dropped the hint. Now the captain will have to believe me about these men.

Bankim slid himself into the tube and crawled forward, dreaming of his triumphant.

The rearward airlock room appeared empty as Bankim stepped out. Had he made a noise coming up the ladder? He didn't think so. He stared into the corners, trying to spot a figure hiding amongst the shelves. Then he noticed the airlock itself and forgot everything.

The inner door was closed. Bankim dashed to the window. There was no way the man could have activated it, right? He stared out the window. The outer door stood open. Bankim's heart raced. Had he just a sent a man to his death? He stared hard out the window, trying to spot anything.

A face loomed in front of the window. Bankim fell back, clutching his chest. There was a glint of a face shield. Daksha, the crew's chief walker, smiled at him through the small window.

An arm went around him. Daksha's second in command, a man named Luu grinned at Bankim as well. "Seems there was a hatch down for maintenance. Not sure why. Chief thought it best to take the whole airlock array through it's paces, just in case."

"The, the hatch was open and..." Bankim started.

"Yeah, I came in that way," Luu said. "Better go reseal it. Wouldn't want someone getting up here by accident, would we?" He smiled again, a cocky smile that made Bankim's face burn.