Pax Galactica - A Space Opera

Chapter 29 - Security Procedures

"I was really hoping we'd get him a little closer to the airlock," said Helios. "There's no way we'll be able to drag him all the way back to the 'lock without getting caught. Any ideas?"

"Can't we just take the flier?" asked Ophelia.

"No," said Aranarth. "Those will be monitored."

"Even on the off chance they aren't us hacking one to take control of it would set off all kinds of security alarms," added Helios.

"So we need to get him out of this conference room, down the lift, through the streets all the way to the docks and into the ship."

"Into the Angel Baby, yes," Helios agreed. "Why don't we have Squire Decker swap clothes with him now. Then at least it looks like we're moving one of our own and not a Saturn Starlifting employee."

"Me?" asked Decker.

Everyone fell over themselves to try and make Decker feel stupid.

"Obviously," said Helios.

"Who else did you think it was going to be?" asked Ophelia.

"Pay attention, squire," chided Aranarth.

"You're closest to this guy in appearance so you're it," continued Helios. "Squire Annesdaughter start stripping Mr. Vega. And you, Squire Decker, just start stripping."

Reluctantly, Decker stripped down to his undergarments and switched clothes with Mr. Vega. The others were right, they did mostly fit. Ophelia in turn dressed Mr. Vega in Decker's clothes.

"There," said Helios. "Now if anyone sees us it looks like Mr. Vega is one of us."

"But we still need an excuse for dragging him unconscious through the streets. What do we say is wrong with him if anyone asks?" asked Aranarth.

"Why don't we say he's drunk?" asked Decker. "We were drinking whatever those things were with dinner."

"Not bad, but why wouldn't he just metabolize it if it was affecting him this badly?" asked Helios.

"You can get so drunk that you're too drunk to communicate with any of your implants. Then you can't control anything until you sober up enough."

"Are you sure that's a thing?" asked Helios, extremely skeptical.

"Oh it's a thing," Decker assured her.

"Well, even if it isn't, it sounds good. That's going to be our excuse," said Helios.

Aranarth wrapped one of Mr. Vega's arms around his shoulder.

"Let's get going."

Ophelia poked her head out, looked around, and then beckoned the others forward. Aranarth and Helios carried Mr. Vega out with his arms wrapped around their shoulders. Decker followed behind them, looking awkward. They began to drag the unconscious man through the hall towards the lift.

An angular black security drone came hovering past, and turned to get a better look at what they were doing. It followed their movements for a tense moment.

"Momentary overindulgence," Decker said, gesturing towards Mr. Vega with his thumb.

The drone looked Decker in the face with a single red sensor eye. Decker could see it making internal adjustments as it took him in.

"Get him out of sight as discreetly as possible. It is unseemly," said the drone.

"That's precisely what I'm doing," said Decker.

"You are not. You are moving towards the public lift. Discretion would dictate the use of the staff lift located in the opposite direction."

The drone gestured in that direction with its whole body.